Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Calls For End Of ‘Rule Of Babus’ In Odisha

Angul: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday came down heavily on BJD government in Odisha for all-round failure due to the “rule of babus”.

Stating that the administration has collapsed in the state, Pradhan said the bureaucrats are running the show while the people’s representatives play second fiddle to them. “An unfortunate situation prevails in Odisha. The party leaders, who have been elected to the Assembly and Parliament by the voters, are engaged to arrange the public meetings of the babus. Who will solve the people’s problems? Are the leaders elected by the people are accountable to them or the persons appointed to serve them?,” he said.

He was speaking at Garib Kalyan Samabesh organised in Chhendipada of Angul district to mark completion of 9 years of the BJP’s rule at the Centre. Pradhan said the present trend is not a good sign for the state. “We must unmask the BJD and expose the black sheep in the administration,” he added.

Stating that the welfare projects in Odisha have failed to reach the beneficiaries, he said crores of rupees sanctioned by the Centre in this regard have gone to the treasury of BJD for PC (percentage) culture.

In spite of remaining in power for 23 years, the BJD government has failed to provide drinking water to all households in the state. Despite Central fund for construction of 27 lakh houses under the PM Awas Yojana, true beneficiaries remain deprived of the houses in the state, he added.

“The Centre has sanctioned Rs 60,000 crore to Odisha under various schemes in the last 9 years. But it has failed to reflect in the development of the state,” he said.

“While the chief minister is not seen in the public, the voices of his ministers and MLAs are not heard. The corruption has extended upto the third floor in the Secretariat and chief minister’s office. The prevailing condition must change and the BJP is preparing a mass movement for the purpose,” Pradhan said.