Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar, who arrived here on Thursday on a two-day visit to attend a party programme in Puri, took a dig at the State Government, alleging that the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government is hijacking all schemes of the Centre and branding them as its own.
“The Narendra Modi Government is working for welfare of the people. But the Government here is only hijacking the Central schemes. let us take the example of Rs 1-a-kg rice scheme. The Naveen Patnaik Government is only providing Rs 2 for the scheme and the rest Rs 27 is being borne by the Union Government. But the Government here is claiming the scheme as its own,” alleged Javadekar.
He further said that under Patnaik’s rule, Odisha has lagged behind in development. “The Naveen Government is inefficient, and there is no doubt about it. Though the State has great potentials, no developmental activities have taken place. Therefore, people of the State are unhappy and seeking answers from the BJD Government,” he remarked
He contended that the State BJP unit is working hard towards national president Amit Shah’s 120-Assembly seat mission.
In sharp reaction to Javadekar’s Central scheme hijack jibe at the State Government, BJD vice-president and Civil Supplies Minister Surjya Narayan Patro said no Union Minister gives any funds to Odisha or any other State by selling out his own land; rather the Centre gives funds as per laws of a Federal system.
“Javadekar has no knowledge of a Federal system. The Centre is bound to provide funds to the States as per law. The Centre has no funds of its own. It collects funds from States and returns the same to States under different heads,” added Patro.
Speaking in a similar vein, BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb said, “Javadekar’s remarks are unfortunate and ridiculous. In 2008, the BJD started a Rs 2-per-kg rice scheme and later the Centre brought the National Food Security Act (NFSA) in 2013.” The Centre is bound to provide rice to the State under the NFSA, he added.