Bhubaneswar: Pro-people policies and their transparent and effective implementation have created pro-incumbency for Biju Janata Dal. During the last five terms, the BJD government heralded an era of good politics by coming up with game-changing policies during election time.
Take the case of the 2019 elections. Among a plethora of farmer-specific schemes, announced or planned, across the country ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Odisha government had come up with the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation scheme whose primary targets were small farmers, cultivators and landless agricultural labourers. Called KALIA, the scheme proved as a game-changer for the party to garner maximum rural voters.
A few days back, BJD Supremo Naveen Patnaik released the party manifesto, promising free electricity up to 150 units. The BJD government, if voted back to power for the sixth successive term, will create two lakh government jobs and will launch a 100-unit free electricity scheme to provide zero bills to domestic consumers with a monthly electricity bill of up to 100 units.
This free-electricity scheme could prove to be a game-changer for the party to garner maximum rural voters. Will it be proved a game-changer policy in the 2024 elections? Ommcom News spoke to voters to know their views in this connection.
Going by the free electricity scheme, BJD will provide free electricity to all domestic households consuming less than 100 units per month. For households consuming between 100-150 units, 50 units will be free. Almost the entire rural population will benefit from these initiatives. This will also benefit the urban households. This scheme will cover 85%-90% for the households in Odisha.
Free electricity will be provided for the farmers. This will bring relief to a large number of farmers who are dependent on agricultural pumps, especially in Western Odisha.
Shyam Sahu, a resident of Garadpur in Bhadrak, says, “This scheme will be a blessing in disguise for us. We are thankful to the BJD government for launching a plethora of pro-people schemes for people whose financial conditions are not sound enough. My vote will definitely go in favour of BJD because I want to benefit from the scheme.”
Kaliprasad Dash, a banker, says, “This scheme not only emphasizes rural dwellers. Urban dwellers will also be benefitted from the scheme. Though many call it a game-changing policy of BJD to woo voters, I must appreciate the party Supremo for thinking out of the box. This will, no doubt, attract voters across the state.”
