Bhubaneswar: Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik took a jibe at Chief Minister Mohan Majhi-led Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government’s first budget by terming it as a “name changing budget” by repeating more than 80 per cent of the schemes implemented by his government.
“Congratulations to the new government on presenting its first budget and a special congratulations for repeating more than 80% of the schemes implemented by our government. More than 80% of your budget allocation flows towards the schemes formulated by the BJD Government,” asserted Patnaik while participating in the general discussion on the annual budget for fiscal 2024-25 in the State Assembly.
Patnaik said that the BJP formed the Government by promising people that they would bring ‘PARIBARTAN’.
“After going through the budget documents, I see ‘PARIBARTAN’ or CHANGE’ — This government has changed the names of 45 schemes. BJP said their government will be a GAME CHANGER but unfortunately has ended up being a ‘NAME CHANGER’,” stated Patnaik who was the Chief Minister of Odisha for five terms.
The LoP pointed out that the budget saw 80% of our schemes being repeated. It shows the robustness, pro-people and progressive character of the schemes designed and implemented by the BJD government. The rest 20% of resource allocation is what they will use to implement their manifesto promises to the people of Odisha, he added.
“We have circulated a copy of the BJP manifesto for ready reference. I will talk about 3 to 4 promises, sorry guarantees, out of many that they have made. Point 29 of the BJP manifesto promised 50,000 to every woman of Odisha under SUBHADRA scheme. More than 2 crore women are there in Odisha. Further, this was promised to be given in two years. You will need one lakh crore to fulfil this promise. You have kept only 10,000 crore in this budget. This will cover less than ten per cent of women in Odisha. What about the rest One crore eighty lakh women,” he asked.
He said that the BJP promised to increase pension to 3,500 per month. There are about 50 lakh pensioners in the state, out of which hardly one lakh pensioners will benefit as per the budget allocation. You have mentioned in your budget that senior citizens over eighty years of age and persons with 80 per cent or more disability will get the enhanced pension amount.
“What will happen to the rest 49 lakh pensioners between 60 to 80 years of age including widows, PWDs and distressed people? You need about 21,000 crores per year to fulfil this promise,” Patnaik pointed out.
The LoP stated that the BJP promised Rs 3100 per quintal MSP for farmers. The allocation kept in the budget will not be adequate to cover even 30 per cent of farmers. How do you plan to cover the remaining lakhs of farmers of Odisha, he asked.
He said the BJP promised 300 units of free electricity in campaign speeches. The Central Government has planned free electricity for one crore houses for the whole country. Odisha’s share may be three lakh houses. We have one and a half crore houses in the state. Is this the free electricity you promised to the people, he asked.
“I challenge that in the next five years, BJP won’t be able to cover even five per cent of Odisha’s population under three hundred units of free BIJILI”. The way you projected the scheme in social media — people have been waiting for zero electricity bills from July. I am sorry; you have cheated the people of Odisha.”
Patnaik further said that the BJP has promised 25 lakh LAKHPATI DIDIs by the year 2027 — in three years.
“You will need about 20,000 crores to implement this. You have allocated only 1000 crores for this. Let me on record demand that the list of LAKHPATI DIDIs be subsequently placed in this August house with all details,” he asserted.
“You promised a developed Odisha by the year 2036. I’ll give one example of your vision for a developed Odisha. The budget document provides 20 crores for the industrial corridor connecting Rourkela-Sambalpur-Paradip and Dhamra by June 2027. A corridor like this will not cost less than one lakh crore. Your party is known for “JUMLA”, but this is a cruel JOKE on the people of Odisha to whom you gave the dream of a developed Odisha,” he stated.
He further pointed out that if the BJP doesn’t fulfil the promises made to the people, their manifesto and acclaimed guarantee will be a bunch of lies.
“I only hope and pray people don’t think that you won the election through lies and false dreams. This will not be good for our state and our people,” he concluded.
