Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jun 6:

Four days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a veiled attack on Odisha government during a public meeting in Balasore, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today put up a rebuttal saying that his government has always been accountable to the people of the state.

naveen patnaik

Addressing media persons here at the state secretariat, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said: “My government has always been accountable to the people of Odisha. We believe in work, not propaganda.”

Patnaik said that he has been reviewing the achievements of various departments vis a vis the manifesto promises. He said that Odisha is the only state in the country to adopt the manifesto as the agenda for governance on the day the government assumed office.

“I am happy with the overall progress made. We are definitely moving towards achieving our promises. I am happy to note that most of the Departments have done exceedingly well, in some areas we have to improve,” Patnaik said.

Expressing concern over the change in fund share pattern by the Centre, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President said: “Most of the Central government schemes which used to be in the 90:10 sharing pattern have been changed to 60:40 or 50:50. This change in fund sharing will benefit developed states and deprive the not-so-developed eastern states including Odisha.”

He further added that the rising trends of cess and surcharges further deprive our state of the due share in Central taxes. The service tax which was 12.36% in 2014 has now effectively become 15% (inclusive of surcharges and cess). This will further increase prices, putting a heavy burden on the common man.

Like Prime Minister Narendra Modi outlined the major achievements of his government during the Vikas Utsav rally in Balasore, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik too highlighted the key achievements of his government.

The highlights of state government’s performance as said by Chief Minister are:

  1. We have created a national record in providing shelter security to more than a million households and I am sure we will cross the 2.3 million target.
  2. Commissioning of mega lifts and other efforts have led to the creation of 3 lakh hectares of additional irrigation. We have substantially increased our investment in irrigation and are moving towards the target of one million hectares of capacity addition.
  3. We have also made the effective rate of interest to 1% for crop loans to benefit small and medium farmers.
  4. Electrification of 11.5 lakh households including 3 lakh BPL families. The construction of 500 new sub stations is in full swing.
  5. In record time, we could set up 100 Odisha Adarsh Vidyalayas and it’s heartening to note that more than 30,000 children from rural areas from some of the most backward blocks have been enrolled in this quality education initiative.
  6. In spite of stoppage of funds by the Union government, we have gone ahead with the construction of 6 new medical colleges. I am hopeful that 2 of them will be functional by next year and the rest by 2018.
  7. NIRAMAYA - our unique free medicine distribution scheme is a success.
  8. Our state leads in providing universal coverage to mothers. More than 2 million women have been assisted under the Mamata scheme.
  9. Our state leads in the implementation of the Forest Rights Act.
  10. Our IPR 2015 has given a further fillip to the industrial scenario in Odisha and we have been ranked very high in the Ease of Doing Business.