BMC Mayor, Bhubaneswar MLA engage in war of words over Subhadra Yojana effectiveness

A heated war of words erupted between Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das and BJP MLA Babu Singh during the Subhadra Rally in the state capital. The debate centred around the effectiveness of the Subhadra Yojana, a flagship scheme of the Odisha government, which aims at empowering women through financial assistance.

Mayor Sulochana Das Questions Subhadra Yojana

During the rally, Sulochana Das, the Mayor of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), raised concerns about the Subhadra Yojana, questioning its ability to empower women. She pointed out that under the scheme, women receive Rs 10,000 in two instalments, whereas the previous government provided interest-free loans ranging from Rs 15,000 to Rs 15 lakh.

“How far can Rs 5,000 empower a woman in these times? Is such an amount enough to make them financially independent?” questioned Sulochana Das, highlighting her doubts about the scheme’s impact on women empowerment.

ALSO READ: ‘Subhadra Rally’ to be taken out at 6,794 places across Odisha on Mar 5

BJP MLA Babu Singh Defends Subhadra Yojana

In response, BJP MLA Babu Singh countered the Mayor’s claims, stating that the previous government’s schemes were merely illusions and never materialised into reality. He emphasized that the Subhadra Yojana has already benefited lakhs of women across the state, with funds being directly credited to their accounts.

“What they failed to do in 24 years, we have done it in such a short time. They fear losing their vote bank,” added Singh, defending the scheme. He further claimed that the Subhadra Yojana has enabled women from financially weaker sections to gain a sense of security and feel empowered.

ALSO READ: Mission Shakti to be renamed as ‘Subhadra Shakti’!

Subhadra Yojana’s Achievements

The exchange comes shortly after Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida announced that the ‘Subhadra Yojana has registered over 1 crore beneficiaries’. During the recently concluded Subhadra Mela in Bhubaneswar, she highlighted that women self-help groups (SHGs) conducted business worth Rs 5 crore, with 400 women earning over Rs 1 lakh.