**Bhubaneswar:** BJP-BJD spar has erupted over Odisha Government’s reply to the letter of Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry on the Ujjwala hitches reported in Puri and Cuttack districts during the functions organised by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) for release of LPG connections under the Prime Minister Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY).
While bête noire BJP lambasted ruling BJD for politicking, BJD passed buck on BJP and justified the contents of the letter.
Odisha BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma said, “It is deplorable to note that the ruling BJD is resorting to politicking. BJD should be rather serious about how the mothers of Odisha would have access to ration and gas in their kitchens”.
In his reactions on the BJP spokesperson’s jibe, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said, “BJP spokesperson had better ask his own conscience. The Odisha Chief Secretary didn’t write the letter on his own will. It was a reply to the letter of Secretary of Petroleum Ministry. Whatever has been replied is justified”.
“Keeping the concerned district administrations in dark and bypassing the local elected representatives while implementing such government scheme is obviously sparking off such hitches. Hence, it has been advised in the reply letter to issue suitable instructions to the OMCs to be in touch with local administration to ensure that future meetings pass off without any hitch,” Deb defended.
Notably, the Petroleum Secretary in his letter (D.O. No. P-20019/91/2016-LPG dated 11.08.2016) written to the Odisha Chief Secretary had cited the disturbances during the Ujjwala Yojana distribution programmes held by OMCs in Puri and Cuttack districts earlier and had urged the State Government to ensure assistance from the district administration.
The Odisha Chief Secretary in his reply letter (D.O. 208/CS dated 22 Aug. 2016) has mentioned, “In a democratic governance structure which emphasises devolution of power upto the village level, the local elected representatives from PRIs, ULBs and the MLAs need to be involved by the OMCs in such initiatives. Their association would rapidly facilitate successful implementation of the Scheme. The list of selected beneficiaries in any Town, Block or Panchayat should be shared with the local officials and elected representatives for better transparency in the distribution process. Such functions should, preferably, be held in the premises of Government institutions like Blocks, Gram Panchayats and Urban Local Bodies”.
