In response to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s nine counter questions to the Central Government, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Wednesday accused the State Government of corruption and demanded that Chief Minister make a statement in pubic as to who are nourishing “scam and PC demons”.
To the CM’s allegation that Ujjwala scheme is being over-propagated, Pradhan said, “The Ujjwala scheme is a very popular scheme in the country. About 6 crore women have got subsidy cylinders. In Oidsha, gas connection has reached 75 per cent households in just four years. It is disappointing that Minister Surjya Narayan Patro has taken LPG subsidy of Rs 1,850 this year.”
On the Chief Minister’s move for providing 33-per cent reservation for women in Assemblies and Parliament, Pradhan wanted to know how many women Ministers are there in Patnaik’s Cabinet.
He wanted to know why the State Government didn’t slash VAT on petrol and diesel while the Union Government had cut Rs 5 a litre, and by its efforts, fuel prices have been reduced by Rs 20 in 70-75 days.
He wanted the CM to give details of the land acquired for the Khordha-Balangir railway line. He said no land has been acquired in Sonepur and Boudh districts and for the Haridaspur-Paradeep railway line project. He claimed that the Modi Government is now providing Rs 5,000 crore per year for railway development in Odisha.
He demanded that the Chief Minister tell people that who was Saroj Sahoo once interrogated by a chit fund probe team.
He sought to know why the Chief Minister is yet to implement his promise to give Rs 100 bonus per quintal of paddy over MSP. Similarly, Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik, whose party observed the BJD Foundation Day as a ‘Black Day’ accusing the ruling party of trampling the rights of panchayat samitis through schemes like PEETHA and Ama Gaon Ama Bikas, ridiculed the claims of development of the BJD supremo.
“Naveenbabu is boasting of development while 85 lakh youths are unemployed, the State’s debt burden has spiralled from Rs 18,000 crore in 2000 to Rs 93,000 crore in 2018 and farmer suicides are increasing,” ridiculed Patnaik. Speaking on Naveen’s criticism of the Centre over Special Category State status, Patnaik said the comments are ridiculous.
“The Naveen Patnaik-led BJD decided to walk out of Lok Sabha and abstain from voting during the no-confidence motion saying the discussion was futile for Odisha people. They are demanding special status now, but why did they not discuss it then and there?” Patnaik questioned.