Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram on Sunday alleged that the Naveen Patnaik Government is not able to utilise the funds allocated by the Centre for implementation of various schemes and programmes meant for tribal people.
Oram, who was talking to mediapersons here said. “I have conducted a review of the situation for Bhadrak district and Nilgiri of Baleswar, and in both the districts it was found that the Central funds were underutilised. The money which came in 2009-10 could not be used. In the subsequent years, the utilisation performance is more or less the same.”
On one hand, the BJD Government has been alleging Centre’s neglect and apathy and demanding money; on the other hand, the funds are lying unutilised. This is a strange paradoxical approach, Oram remarked.
The BJP leader also alleged that all the State Government offices and establishments have turned out to be BJD offices and the officers have become the agents of the ruling party.
“The governing norms and guidelines are being ignored and the schemes are implemented as per the whims and wishes of the officers running at the dictation of the ruling party leaders,” he said.
Oram claimed that the BJP has been emerging as the biggest political party in the State with a membership over 35 lakh. “The BJD’s popularity is sliding down while the Congress has gone all-time low (in popularity). Since the BJP is growing fast, we will be fighting the next elections alone,” he said.
“Any coalition and understanding with the BJD is only a speculation made in some quarters. Our strength is sufficient now, and we are now the number one party of the State with having 35 lakh members on record,” Oram said.
Former Baleswar BJP district president lambodhar Nayak, incumbent president Madanmohan Dutta, Shaymparasad Behera and Jadabesh Mishra were among those present at the Press meet.