Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday told the State Assembly an empowered and inclusive Odisha is the goal of his government.
Naveen said this while replying to the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address to the Assembly. He said the state will have a policy of constructive cooperation with the Centre and the only agenda would be the state’s development and welfare of four and half crore people of Odisha.
“An empowered, inclusive Odisha is our goal and people of Odisha have blessed us to realise this goal. My government will leave no stone unturned towards achieving this,” the Chief Minister said.
Patnaik promised that his government would continue on the journey to deliver a clean, transparent and citizen-centric governance. “In last 19 years, we had kept our promises. We are proud of our achievements,” the Chief Minister said. He said the government is committed to the cause of the people, especially the weaker sections.
As agriculture is the backbone of Odisha’s economic growth and prosperity, Patnaik said the state government’s KALIA scheme will be continued as promised. “Our government will continue its efforts for the development of irrigation,” he said.
Stating that women empowerment is a key prerequisite for good governance, he stated, “We are committed to taking women empowerment to the next level. My government will pursue aggressively women reservation in every forum.”
He further said the creation of employment opportunities for youth was the top of the agenda of the government. “Thirty lakh employment opportunities are expected to be created in six focus sectors. The World Skill Centre shall be producing 1.50 lakh highly skilled professionals,” he said.
Apart from employment, Patnaik said ensuring quality education is among the top priorities of the government and added that Odisha Adarsha Vidyalayas will be made operational in all blocks of the state.
A scholarship council will be set up to facilitate scholarships both on merit and socio-economic criteria, he said. Patnaik said the government will take expeditious steps to convert all left out kutcha houses into pucca houses. “Our government is taking all possible steps to establish world-class sports facilities in Bhubaneswar in its efforts to make Odisha as a preferred sports destination,” he added.
However, Opposition Congress and BJP did not support the Governor’s speech in the house. Senior Congress member Narasingha Mishra said, “People in villages are yet to get portable water for drinking and bathing. There is no irrigation facility for farmers. Has the government completed a major irrigation project over past 19 years. The speech is like a day dream.”
Those who have prepared Governor’s speech have never gone to villages and discussed with any farmer, Mishra said.
PNN