Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the foundation day celebrations of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Tuesday, opposition Congress and BJP Monday intensified their attack on the ruling dispensation accusing it of failing to fulfill its poll promises.
The leaders of both the opposition parties hurled a volley of questions and sought explanations over various administrative matters from the BJD, which is set to celebrate its 20th Foundation Day Tuesday.
Congress leader and former union minister Srikant Jena wanted to know as to when would Orissa recover the penalty from erring mining firms in the mining scam.
Jena further said that unemployment has assumed alarming proportions in the state. The Chief Minister should tell people the number of jobs his government has created since the BJD came to power in 2000, Jena said. Claiming that over 40 lakh unemployed youths are on the verge of migrating to other states in search of jobs, Jena said the Orissa government has failed to ensure social and economic justice in the state.
The Congress leader also held the BJD regime responsible for the plight of farmers, many of whom were forced to end their lives due to crop loss.
The state government has failed to speed up industrialisation, he claimed adding due to its misrule the economy of the state was in doldrums. He also raised the issues of delay in resolving the Mahanadi dispute, setting up of Bhubaneswar ESI hospital and Balasore medical college among others. The allegations were denied by the ruling BJD. “Although the state government constituted a corpus fund for chit fund victims, none of them has received any money. When will they get back their money?” BJP state unit general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan said at a press meet here. A number of ponzi firms flourished under the patronage of the ruling party in the state, he alleged.
Harichandan also sought to know the time frame by which the ruling party would dole out compensation to the family members of farmers, who have committed suicide due to crop loss and debt burden. He also asked for an explanation from the government for the delay in implementation of agriculture commission’s recommendations and demanded action against leaders and officials responsible for distribution of fake seeds and pesticides among farmers.
Stating that the health sector in the state was in a shambles, Harichandan said a large number of doctor posts and other staff is lying vacant in government hospitals.
Despite being endowed with vast coal reserves, many parts of Orissa are still languishing in darkness, the BJP leader said, adding that a whopping 36 lakh houses in the state are devoid of electricity supply due to inefficiency on the part of the Naveen Patnaik government. BJD spokesperson Prashant Nanda, however, refuted the charges levelled by the BJP and the Congress and said the opposition parties are wary of the rising popularity of the ruling party.
PNN
