Bhubaneswar: The BJP on Friday expressed optimism that the people of Odisha will vote for its candidates in the panchayat elections to give a befitting reply to 22 years of misrule under BJD.
Speaking to media persons, here, Odisha in-charge of the BJP, D Purandeswari said all the development works in the state have been possible due to sufficient funds provided by the BJP government at the Centre. On the other hand, the BJD has been misleading the people by claiming those projects as its own, she added.
Releasing a list of failures on part of BJD government titled “People’s Complaint- Inefficient Government”, the BJP leader said the regional party has deprived the people of the benefits of Central welfare schemes and pushed the state into darkness of backwardness.
Citing the failures of the BJD, Purandeswari claimed that 14% of Odisha’s population do not have a pucca house while the beneficiaries of Prime Minister’s Awas Yojana have to dole out Rs 20,000 as bribe to avail the fund under the scheme.
At the same time, not even one of six districts in western Odisha has been allowed to avail the benefits of the scheme, she said adding that the fund is sanctioned on the basis of the beneficiaries’ political allegiance.
On agriculture front, the BJP leader said the farmers of western Odisha are yet to get the compensation from the state government for crop loss due to drought in 2021. While the BJD had promised to provide irrigation to 37% of cultivable land, even 22% area has not been irrigated, she added.
Even as the Centre has sanctioned thousands of crore of rupees to Odisha, 30% of the state’s population continues to remain below poverty line, she said adding that one third of women population are victims of malnourishment.
She also questioned the BJD government’s steps for improvement of healthcare and education facilities. Asking why Biju Yuva Vahini was wound up, she wanted to know the status of ‘PITHA’ and ‘Ama Gaon, Ama Bikash’ schemes of the state government.
Assuring the people of Odisha of a transparent and clean administration, Purandeswari appealed to the voters to elect the candidates supported by BJP in the panchayat elections.