Puri: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Wednesday flexed muscle to protect its Lok Sabha seat and attempted to win the Puri Assembly seat which slipped to BJP in 2019.
It organised a massive congregation of BJD functionaries and activists of Puri Lok Sabha seat here at the Talabania grounds.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik interacted with the people to get feedback on BSKY, Mamata Yojna, Laxmi bus service, functioning of women SHGs, Adarsh school, and scholarships for students and at the last he sought their opinion on himself.
The crowd responded with a concerted voice ” We love you, Naveen”.
Later Kartik Pandian, his most trusted bureaucrat turned politician, took over and elaborated various schemes of the BJD as desired by Naveen Patnaik.
To rope in the middle-class voters, he said the BJD announced a number of facilities like to subsidise interest on home loans and study loans to ensure minimum financial burden on them.
The students of middle class families will be provided with scholarships at the rate of Rs.12,000 for boys and Rs.14,000 for girl students per year.
Announcing this, Pandian said this is first occasion when Chief minister Naveen Patnaik addresses grievances of the middle class which no other state in the country has dealt with so far.
He also announced that the first work by Naveen Patnaik after taking oath June 9 will be signing of free electricity bill and then issue of BSKY cards who did not have it besides ration cards.
The BJD leader said all the vacant posts in the government sector will be filled up to provide employment to youths.
Besides, families who could not get housing building assistance against their damaged houses in cyclones Phailin and Fani will be provided on a priority basis.
The street vendors who were evicted while creating the Srimandir Parikrama corridor will be suitably re-re habilitated, Pandian promised.
The WSHG members will be paid allowance and pension while their interest-free loan limit has been increased to Rs.15 lakh, he said.
Naveen Patnaik has planned for a comprehensive development of Puri, Pandian said, adding that many developmental works like trumpet bridge (Sri Setu), Sri Marg, Parikrama corridor, and multi-level parking lots have been completed.
He said the International Airport will be made functional within three years since Naveen Patnaik wants to transform Puri into an international heritage spot which will boost tourism.
Soon Puri will become the economic backbone of the state, he added.
Arup Mohan Patnaik the BJD Lok Sabha nominee, assembly candidates Rudra Pratap Maharathy of Pipili, Sunil Kumar Mohanty of Puri, Umakanta Samantaray of Brahmagiri and Sanjay Kumar Das Burma of Satyabadi addressed the meeting.
The Chief Minister appealed to the people to vote for them in double “Sankha” symbol.
This is the last massive meeting by the Chief Minister at Puri before the polls scheduled for May 25 to counter Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s road show held here on May 20 last.
Earlier Pandian had organised a roadshow on the same day evening in Puri.
UNI