Naveen copies schemes of Center, alleges Odisha BJP

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Sep 4:

A day after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik launched the Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana, Odisha unit of BJP today accused the Biju Janata Dal led State Government of copying schemes of the center for publicity.

Addressing a press conference in Bhubaneswar, Odisha BJP Chief Spokesperson Sajjan Sharma said, “Violence against women has shot up in the state in recent past. Announcement of Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana by the Chief Minister is an attempt to divert the attention of public”.

“The government is copying schemes of the Centre and of other state governments. The effectiveness of these schemes are questionable. It would have been better had Patnaik announced benefits as provided in the ‘Ladli Laxmi Yojana’ of Madhya Pradesh government,” he added.

He further took a swipe at the Chief Minister for remote inaugurating projects from the State Secretariat. “Is Naveen afraid of facing opposition,” he questioned while adding that Patnaik has lost his confidence on his party workers.

BJD, on the other hand, refuted the allegations.

“Schemes such as Mamata Yojana and Harischandra Yojana are the indigenous programmes of BJD government. Every State Government plans its schemes according to the need of its people. However, there remains chances of certain similarities in these schemes,” said BJD General Secretary Prasanta Nanda.

“The incumbent Chief Minister has visited more places of Odisha than any other did in the history of the state. That way, he has met more people than others as well. Besides, there is nothing wrong in inaugurating projects from Secretariat as it is not feasible to visit multiple places at one time,” he added.