Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik strongly condemned Odisha Government over non-payment of salary to support staff working under Mission Shakti department in the state. 

"The state government led by the BJP is conspiring to stop the salaries of the Mission Shakti women. I strongly condemn this. As all of you know that more than 70 lakh women are in the Mission Shakti. This is very very bad. I strongly condemn it. We in the Biju Janata Dal have always supported to Mission Shakti women," Patnaik told reporters outside House today. 

Hundreds of support staff of Mission Shakti staged protest outside Assembly over various demands including release of their salaries. 

The opposition BJD raised the issue during zero hour on Monday demanding to release the Mission Shakti women's salaries. 

BJD Chief Whip Pramila Mallik criticised the state government for stopping the salary of about 60,000 women working as support staff in different women self-help groups (WSHGs) across the state.

“Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had empowered around 70 lakh women in the state by bringing them under the umbrella of Mission Shakti. But, now they are in fear that they might be terminated from their jobs," she said. 

However, the BJP condemned the protest and alleged the BJD of misleading the protestors.  

The BJD was responsible for non-payment of salaries to Mission Shakti women as the previous government had no extended the service agreement that expired in April 2024," said BJP MLA Manas Kumar Dutta. 

Reacting to it, BJD MLA Dhruba Charan Sahoo said that the service of Mission Shankti support staff could not be extended as the model code of conduct was in force for the general elections 2024.