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Bhubaneswar: Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the state government headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the growing corruption in high places and the failure of state machinery to utilise Central funds.
Launching the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ‘Jabab Maguchi Odisha’ campaign here, Pradhan sought to know who is feeding the demon of corruption in the state. “Naveen Patnaik must answer his government’s role in the chit fund scam, mining scam and the PC (percentage) culture in government projects,” demanded Pradhan.
He also asked the Chief Minister to explain his connection with Saroj Sahu, a chit fund scam accused. “What was Sahu doing at Naveen Niwas and how was he associated with him,” the BJP leader asked.
He slammed the state government for its failure to fulfil the promises made during the 2014 elections such as 35 per cent irrigation to the farmlands in Odisha.
Accusing the ruling BJD of failure to utilise Central funds and to provide land for expeditious completion of rail and road infrastructure in the state, Pradhan said the Chief Minister has been blaming the Centre for the delays in completing the Khurda-Bolangir railway project, but the Chief Minister should show him an inch of land which the state had provided to complete the project.
“Odisha had never received more than `1000 crore in railway budgets during the Congress rule, but now the state has been getting around `5000 crore. Is it not visible to the Chief Minister? He is hiding his failures,” he pointed out.
Pradhan said the BJD government’s indifference was clearly visible in the Talcher-Bimlagarh and the Paradip-Haridaspur rail projects.
Questioning Naveen’s commitment for ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women in state legislatures and Parliament, the Union Minister said the CM must clarify how many women ministers are there in his Cabinet. At a time when justice has eluded the Kunduli rape victim or the women and children of Gumudumaha in Kandhamal district, the CM is shedding crocodile tears, he alleged.
Meanwhile, Union Tribal Welfare Minister Jual Oram said, “The state government is yet to identify and allocate land for Gopalpur-Digha Coastal Highway Project, but it wants early completion of the projects. As far as SC, ST stipend is concerned, the Centre has not curtailed it, rather it is the state government which has created all hurdles for its disbursement.”