BJP leader and Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Sunday criticised Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for writing to the Prime Minister to exempt PAN card provision for tribal people for bank deposits beyond Rs50,000.
He wondered whether the Chief Minister is trying to make the black money white by urging the PM to direct the RBI to accept the demonetised Rs500 and Rs1,000 currency notes through District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs).
“Firstly, what is the need of the State Government to request the Centre for exemption of PAN details for tribal people when digital transactions have already been adopted for them in various social welfare schemes,” Pradhan wanted to know.
“If someone has more than Rs2.5 lakh, what is the problem in furnishing PAN card details while depositing in banksIJ” wondered he.
“Is the BJD Government trying to make its own black money white through this route,” asked Pradhan.
“The panchayat polls are approaching and everybody knows what the BJD does during elections. That’s the reason the CM is worried,” Pradhan maintained.