Bhubaneswar: Two days ahead of the state government’s mega event on Mission Shakti, BJP leader Aparajita Sarangi Thursday raised questions regarding the implementation of Mission Shakti and pointed fingers at specific flaws in the scheme.
Briefing the media here, Sarangi said that seed money was not sanctioned to the women self help groups (SHGs) in 2016-17 and 2017-18, whereas it is being distributed now keeping the ensuing polls in mind. She said efforts should be made to make women self-reliant and not to dole out money to them.
“When I was Mission Shakti director, money was being provided to women of the state. Even after 15 years, money is still being provided to them. There is no change in the status of women in past 15 years. There is a need to make them self-reliant and independent,” she urged.
Referring to welfare schemes currently being implemented in Odisha, the BJP leader said the state government is “copying the schemes of the neighbouring states”. “For example, the ‘Amma Hotel’ scheme has been implemented as Aahar scheme,” she pointed out.
Why the state government is desperate to replicate welfare schemes and is not women’s empowerment schemes that are immensely successful in TN, she questioned.
She also slammed the government for rising crime graph against women in the state. “We are the third highest in the country in matters relating to all crimes,” Sarangi said.
In his reactions, BJD spokesperson Sameer Das said the state government has made a budgetary provision of Rs 450 crore for women self help groups and financial assistance is being extended to them accordingly.
“BJP is involved in a political campaign against the BJD since 2014. As she is new to politics, I have nothing to comment on her. The actual picture will be clear once the 2019 election results come up,” he added.