Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly witnessed uproarious scenes on Monday as Opposition members protested against the guidelines of the Subhadra Yojana of the BJP government, leading to the adjournment of the House proceedings by the Speaker.

As soon as the House convened, members of the BJD rushed to the well, expressing their dissatisfaction with the Subhadra Yojana guidelines. They demanded that financial support under the scheme be extended to all women, regardless of their economic status.

Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik criticized the BJP government, questioning the efficacy of the scheme. "What kind of business can one start with just Rs 5,000 and become self-reliant? It's unfortunate how women have been misled. The BJP promised Rs 50,000 at once during their campaign but is now offering only Rs 5,000 in installments," Mallik said while speaking to reporters outside the House.

Mallik further accused the government of neglecting women and warned of a strong response. She highlighted that the previous BJD government provided interest-free loans and other financial support to women, which the current BJP government has changed. "We demand that the BJP government provide Rs 50,000 vouchers to each woman," she added.

Congress members also voiced similar concerns. Barabati-Cuttack MLA Sofia Firdous called for the inclusion of women aged 60 to 80 years under the scheme. "The current guidelines exclude women receiving Rs 1,500 assistance, leaving out several categories of women, including Pachikas, who receive lower pensions. This needs to be addressed," Firdous said.

In response to the Opposition's allegations, BJP MLA Babu Singh criticized the disruption of the House during Question Hour. "The people of Odisha are watching those who are obstructing the state's development," Singh said.