BJD MLA Terms Odisha Govt’s ‘Subhadra’ Scheme An Eyewash

Bhubaneswar: The much hyped ‘Subhadra’ scheme for women launched by Odisha’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government is nothing but an eyewash, claimed senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain on Tuesday.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour in the Assembly, Swain said that the BJP in its election manifesto had promised to pay Rs 50,000 to every woman in the state in two years. However, after being voted to power, BJP backtracked and smartly played with their words and announced payment of Rs 50,000 in five years, which is a crude joke.

The former Minister further stated that if Rs 50,000 is paid in five years, it results in just Rs 27.39 per a day. If the very purpose of the scheme is to enable women to develop their entrepreneur skills, how is that possible with such a meagre financial assistance, he questioned.

Stating that the BJP too is in power in Haryana where the ‘double-engine’ government is able to provide Rs 2,100 per day to women in that state, he sought to know as to why it is only Rs 27 per day in Odisha.

The eight-time MLA from Athagarh accused the saffron party of adopting double standards and befooling women of the state.