CM Naveen Patnaik targets Union Ministers; assures district status to Padampur within a year

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday during his visit to Padampur reiterated his commitment to accord district status to the notified area of Bargarh district.

Addressing a public meeting at Jharbandh, the BJD chief said that the district status to Padampur will be accorded within a year as the state government is carrying out necessary works in this regard.

Patnaik further said that the promises made during the bypoll are being fulfilled and already the work for upgrading the Paikamal primary health centre (PHC) into community health centre (CHC) and others has been done.

"I had made announcements for Padampur and the Paikamal PHC has been upgraded into a CHC. The work for Chakradhar dam has started and land has been identified for various sub-stations. I believe in works not words. District status will be accorded to Padampur within a year," said Patnaik.

While addressing the gathering, Patnaik also took a dig at the Union Ministers without taking any names.

During the by-election, Union Ministers had visited here and assured about railway project, kendu leaves subsidy, crop insurance and other issues. I pray Lord Nrusinghanath to make sure that the Union Ministers do remember such assurances," said Patnaik.

It is pertinent to mention here that during the recent by-election, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had raked the issue of railway project while Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had raised the issue kendu leaf subsidy.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan was quick to react to CM Patnaik’s jibe at Union Ministers. 

“It seems the Chief Minister is speaking someone’s write-up. He is introducing schemes with the aim to gain political mileage. The announcement of the district tag to Padampur still confines to an announcement. Not announcing the date is a kind of deception,” said Pradhan. 

“The Chief Minister has taken the responsibility of two assembly constituencies of Bargarh district. But people from the district are migrating in search of work. When will this problem be solved?” asked Pradhan, adding that the corruption in Awas yojana is over Rs 1,000 crore. 

“When will the irrigation promise made in Bargarh be fulfilled? Has he given Rs 100 as a bonus to Sohela farmers?” he asked.

Bargarh MP, Suresh Pujari said, "Everybody has right to say anything in a democracy.  However, it is a minimum courtesy that MP and MLAs need to be invited to a programme and it was only through newspaper that we came to know that CM is visiting here."

Pujari said that the Government of India has decided to extend railway line from Bargarh to Nuapada via Paikamal and Padampur. It is now over a year that the state government is yet to complete the land acquisition process.

"I urge CM that if he really wants development of Padampur, he should ensure early completion of the land acquisition for the railway project," Pujari added.

 

(Reported by Sanjay Jena, OTV)