A meeting of BJD workers of Raygada block of Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district was held on Friday afternoon where thousands of party workers attended.
The meeting was chaired by Rayagada Block Chairman Lakshman Sabar. Among others, State Planning Board Member Rama Chandra Panda, former Union Minister Chandrasekhar Sahu, local MLA Basanti Mallik, district president Pradip Nayak, Vice-President of Zilla Parishad Bijaya Kumar and senior party leader Lakshmikanta Parischa were present.
State Planning Board Member Panda said that it is quite unfortunate that the Central Government failed to release the calamity fund for the Titili-affected tribal people in time. He lamented that the Modi Government released the calamity fund for Odisha after 2.5 months of the natural disaster when the situation became normal.
He also flayed the Centre for partisan attitude to Odisha vi a vis Andhra Pradesh as the calamity fund was first released to Andhra.
He also criticised the apathy of the Centre to the Adivasi areas in Gajapati which are still deprived of BSNL network.
Significantly, more than a dozen leaders from various political parties joined the ruling BJD on the occasion.