Berhampur: Hitting out at Odisha’s BJD government, senior Congress leader Bijay Patnaik on Thursday alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s home district Ganjam is severely hit by unemployment, misuse of official machinery and backwardness.
During a visit to the district, the bureaucrat-turned-politician told reporters that Ganjam is witnessing rampant misuse of government machinery, posing serious challenges to democracy.
The Congress leader alleged that the ruling BJD is pressurising government officers, including senior officers to work for the success of BJD’s.
Officers including BDOs and Tehsildars are even being asked to ensure the victory of BJD leaders in elections, he claimed, adding that government officials are also being asked to achieve given targets are also given to government officials.
Noting that Ganjam happens to be the home district of the Chief Minister, Patnaik said Naveen should take steps to prevent such practices and allow officers to work in an impartial manner.
Stating that all the government officers are efficient, he said government employees should be allowed to work freely and they should not be engaged for party works as it is not healthy for a democracy.
Referring to unemployment, the former chief secretary attacked the state government over the plight of migrant workers in the district and said lakhs of them move out of the state for jobs.
It was noticed that lakhs of migrant labourers returned to several parts of Odisha, mostly Ganjam, during Covid pandemic. It showed the state government failed to generate employment.
Stating that establishment of industrial units can generate jobs, Patnaik slammed the BJD government for not taking initiatives to create jobs and set up industries in the region.
He said thousands of acres of land were acquired from people in Gopalpur long ago, but nothing has been done so far. The government should set up textile mills and garment making units in the region that will create employment opportunities for lakhs of people, he said.
Urging the state government should take it up under its Make in Odisha initiative, Patnaik said the Chief Minister, who is currently in Japan, should take steps for setting up textile or automobile complex in the area which will benefit lakhs of people.
Noting that the spinning mill and sugar mill which were set up during the Congress period in Aska are lying defunct, the Congress leader said the government must give proper attention and revive these units.
