Baripada: Alleging that the BJD government has neglected the education and health sectors in Mayurbhanj, the BJP has called for a 12-hour bandh in the district December 18.
The saffron leaders asserted that due to continued neglect, the tribal-dominated and hilly district has remained backward on education and healthcare fronts.
The party has several other issues and demands for the district.
BJP’s district unit president Krushnachandra Mohaptra held a presser at Takatpur here Sunday in this regard.
However, the ruling BJD has countered the BJP’s the bandh plan, asserting that the BJP-led NDA government has neglected the district in the railway sector.
Mohapatra stated that the state government has recently announced to set up OPSC coaching centres in seven universities, but the North Odisha University in Baripada has been deprived of this facility. Tribal students will be deprived of coaching centres and pursuing higher studies, the BJP leader said.
He said, “The BJD which has been doing politics on the matter of tribal issues, has embarrassed tribals by such a decision.”
Similarly, healthcare in the district is in shambles due to large-scale vacancies in hospitals. The district has 403 sanctioned posts for doctors while 220 posts have been vacant, he pointed out.
BJD’s district unit executive president Debasish Mohanty said after electoral reverses in Bijatala ZP by-poll, the BJP has been facing existential crisis in the district.
Mohanty added that the BJP government has neglected Mayurbhanj by stopping the weekly special train service from Bhanjapur to Puri. People used to travel by the train to have darshan of Lord Jagannath, he added.
PNN