Bhubaneswar: Slamming the BJD government for failing to eradicate poverty in Odisha in its 19-year-long tenure, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma Thursday said the poor had become poorer in the state due to rampant corruption.
While other states enjoyed the fruits of development, Odisha remained backward and its poor had turned poorer as the Naveen Patnaik government failed to take any step to eradicate poverty since it took over in 2000, Sharma said addressing BJP’s election meetings at Nuapada.
Alleging that several BJD leaders, ministers and candidates contesting the upcoming simultaneous assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the state are facing corruption charges, he said Odisha continues to be stung by poverty and backwardness because of all pervasive corruption.
Funds provided by the BJP-led government at the Centre for construction of toilets were swindled, Sharma alleged adding that all centrally-sponsored schemes were made victims of corruption and financial irregularities.
Hitting out at the Naveen Patnaik government, he accused the ruling BJD of misleading people about its much trumpeted Re 1 a kg rice scheme for the poor.
The real credit for the programme goes to the Centre and the BJD government’s contribution in the cheap rice scheme is only Re one, he said.
Sharma claimed that whatever development the state has witnessed was only because of the BJP-led government at the Centre, which has launched a host of projects in sectors like the railways, roads and highways, aviation, Navodaya schools, hospitals and medical colleges have been launched in Odisha.
The state government is instead trying to put obstacles in the way of implementation of developmental and welfare programmes, the BJP leader alleged.
While Naveen Patnaik has deprived the people of Odisha of the benefits of Ayushman Bharat medical insurance scheme, farmers are unable to get benefits of PM-Kisan programme due to lack of prompt response from it, he said.
Similar problems were faced in Uttar Pradesh before the BJP came to power there but now the situation has been reversed, Sharma said and called upon the people to ensure that the saffron party is voted to power both at the Centre and in Odisha.
“Double engine government of BJP in the state and at the centre will ensure speedy development of the state and welfare of the people,” he added.
Assembly election in Odisha is scheduled to be held along with Lok Sabha polls in four phases on April 11, 18, 23 and 29.
PNN/Agencies