Odisha’s ruling BJD and the Congress both on Thursday criticised Prime Minister Modi for reducing financial aid to the State under several health and education schemes in the Union Budget. While BJD termed Modi’s speech at Baleswar ‘discouraging’, the Congress termed his Vikash Utsav ‘Buckwash Rally.’
“In his speech, the PM focused on two subjects, health and education. But what is surprising is that in the past three Union Budgets, provision for these sectors has been steadily slashed. A backward State like Odisha badly needs such aid. So, it is clear that he is contradicting his own statement,” said BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb. Congress spokesperson Biswaranjan Mohanty too slammed Modi and asked him what development his Government has brought for Odisha. “There is nothing new in his speech. What development has his party brought in OdishaIJ For a long time in the speech, he spoke about mother and infant care. But the irony is that his Government only slashed funds for the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS),” Mohanty said.