PCC president Jayadev Jena on Sunday alleged that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik organised the Swabhiman Samabesh at the Ramlila Maidan in Delhi only to divert the attention of the people from the chit fund scam, where Patnaik himself, his Ministers and legislators are involved.
Addressing the media, the PCC chief said the BJD staged a drama in Delhi only criticizing Centre's neglect to Odisha. Citing a source that Odisha has got the highest Central grants per capita among 28 States in the country, Jena said the Centre-bashing is something ingrained in the nature of the BJD and hence, the leaders are concealing the real fact to gain political mileage.
"We demand that the State Government should publish a white paper on allocation of Central grants to Odihsa and its expenditure from the year 2000 to 2013 for the knowledge of the common people of the State," said Jena.
He warned that the drama at the Ramleela Maidan would not give any result as Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram has already constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Raghuram Rajan to accord Special Category State status to some States, including Odisha.
"One Delhi based renowned economic research centre, namely the Centre for Budget and Accountability has published that Odisha has received the highest per capita Central grants, even more than a few Congress ruled States. Unfortunately, the BJD Government has continuously failed to utilize the huge funds. On the contrary, the State Government has surrendered to Centre `7,001.46 crore, `6,423.15 crore and `8,439.58 crore during 2009-10, 2010-11 and 2011-12, respectively for not being able to utilize them," Jena revealed. Further, he alleged when the Central Government is providing 35 kg rice per family under BPl, with as many as 42,32,000 getting the benefit in the State, the State Government has been deducting 10 kg from each family and giving 25 kg. The CAG has expressed concern over dismal execution of the MGNREGS and the IAY and the rampant corruption in the schemes. Already, the CBI has been probing in six districts of the State pertaining to irregularities in the MGNREGS.
The State Government too has faltered on rural development, though the Union has given the maximum funds to the State under the fold of the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
Union Minister Jayram Ramesh has expressed his anguish saying that the PMGSY had totally gone directionless in the State. Huge manipulation has been done in repairing old roads and showing them as new roads, PCC chief Jena said.