BJD slams govt over ‘Bikashita Gaon, Bikashita Odisha’ programme guidelines

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday voiced criticism over recent changes to the 'Bikashita Gaon, Bikashita Odisha' programme guidelines.

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BJD MLA Arun Sahoo expressed concerns that while villagers previously had their project proposals go directly through the Panchayat Samiti to Zilla Parishad for necessary approval, current discussions in the Gram Sabha now require Panchayat Samiti approval.

Sahoo also mentioned that despite promised substantial investments, the funds allocated per panchayat have dwindled to between Rs 7 lakh and Rs 8 lakh, compared to the Rs 50 lakh allocations made under the ‘Ama Odisha, Nabina Odisha’ scheme.

Accusations made by Arun Sahoo

“Projects, earlier brought under the ‘Ama Odisha, Nabina Odisha’ scheme, were generated from the grassroots level by rural people. Those were coming through the Panchayat Samitis and Zilla Parishads. Now, as per the new programme guidelines, MLAs and District Collectors can add on to project proposals put up by a Gram Sabhas,” BJD’s Arun Sahoo alleged.

Congress party also joined the BJD in opposition to these guideline changes.

“The current (BJP-led) government has only renamed the previous government’s ‘Ama Odisha, Nabina Odisha’ scheme with exactly the same budgetary provision. New guidelines made room for 40 percent of the projects to be generated by local MLAs and District Collectors. This has been done to accommodate the party (BJP) workers and Dalals (middlemen),” the senior Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati said to mediapersons.

In response, Minister Rabi Narayan Naik assured saying, “Panchayati Raj system operates smoothly. All project approvals still follow the 2002 Odisha Public Works (OPW) Code. The process requires Gram Sabha approval and ultimately the District Collector’s nod.”

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Minister Naik defended the current guidelines, stating that a greater focus on the involvement of MLAs and MPs exists now. He asserted that the previous government ‘failed’ to emphasize the Gram Sabha, while the current system allocates 60 percent of its responsibilities to it, with the remaining coming from recommendations by MLAs, MPs, District Collectors, and experts, ensuring a balanced and a developmental approach.