Bhubaneswar: BJP national Spokesperson and local MP Aparajita Sarangi today lambasted the BJD-led Odisha government for allegedly failing to upgrade State’s rank in the SDG India Index Report recently published by the NITI Ayog.
While expressing her concern over the downfall of the State's rank in the index, she sought the reply from the government regarding the downfall.
“The State of Odisha figures in the list of bottom five States of the SDG report of NITI Ayog. It is shame and very unfortunate for us”, Sarangi said at a press meet.
In the category of Sustainable Development Goal 1- Zero Poverty, Odisha ranked third from the bottom. 33% people of the State’s total population are under national below poverty line. There is no change in the scenario what prevailed in 2019, she added.
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“I wonder that State of Andhra Pradesh has 9.2 per cent people who are living under national below poverty line. Many families in Bhubaneswar parliamentary constituency are yet to get pucca houses under government scheme. 14.2% or 1 crore people are still living under kutcha houses in Odisha while in West Bengal the figure is only 6% and in Andhra Pradesh, it is 3.2%,” she rued.
“The central government has sanctioned lakhs of pucca houses to Odisha. Where are these? She asked.
The State has ranked six from the bottom in the list of 28 States in the category of Zero Hunger of the sustainable development goal. 29 per cent of children below 5 years are malnourished in the State, which was mentioned in the report, she maintained.
Similarly, the State’s rank in the Gender Equality is 11 from bottom. Criminal cases against 103.5 % women in the State have come to fore. As per the report, 103 women in 1 lakh are exploited in the State. The women harassment cases continue to surge since 2015. The BJD government has failed to ensure safety and security of women, Sarangi said.
In the category of Economic Growth, Odisha has ranked second from the bottom among 28 States. The State secured zero in ease of doing business despite undertaking various programmes like ‘make In Odisha’.
There are 12 banks and 16 ATMs in the State for 1 lakh people, she added.
BJD, however, hit back at the BJP for doing cheap politics over the SDG report.
“It seems there were discrepancies during preparation of the report. It is unfortunate that the BJP is doing politics even not going through the report thoroughly. The data provided by the State has not been taken into account in the SDG report,” BJD MP Amar Patnaik said.