Bhubaneswar: Various welfare schemes implemented by Government is to garner votes and not for the development of society. If schemes are planned for vote, the democracy would be collapsed, said the eminent politicians of Odisha today.
Speaking on the topic, “Welfare Schemes: Meant for Vote Bank or Development?”, at 7th OTV annual convention-Foresight-2017-, Utkal Bharat party chief Kharavela Swain criticised the State government for taking an attitude to keep the people poor forever. “Attempts should be made to upgrade the standard of living of poor to middle class. There should be a change in the ideology and agenda of State government of keeping the poor people as poor. The State government wants the poor to lend hands before them and they would continue to approach to Centre in every field. This is not the agenda of development”, Swain said.
He further stated that the motive of the welfare schemes in Odisha is to keep the people poor. Odisha always ranks 18/19 in the field of development among 20 big states. If the intention of government is not changed, this position would remain intact, he added.
Taking part in the discussion, BJP national secretary Suresh Pujari backed the need of welfare programmes. “No doubt about the need of welfare schemes. Begining from the foetus to the dead person, programmes are being launched for everyone. But, attempts are being made to gain personal benefit out of the popular schemes ”, Pujari added.
Rejecting the vote bank politics over government schemes, the top BJP leader said development is not possible if the intention of garnering votes over the pro-people schemes is not changed. He elaborated his stand on the topic by giving the example of Re 1 rice scheme.
“I have no objection on providing rice at Re 1. But, how many days? The people should be self-reliant. Schemes should be implemented for their self development”.
Senior Congress leader and Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra batted for introducing welfare schemes to ensure basic rights of common people. “The government launches programme to provide basic rights to people. But some of the schemes are only declared for cheap politics and not for real development. This is unfortunate”, Mishra rued.
“However, it does not mean that all popular schemes are made for politics”, he added.
The Congress leader also supported the cheap rice scheme. “I am in favour of the Re 1 rice scheme as lakhs of people are getting benefit out of it. If the government stops such a programme mid way, it would be considered as vote bank politics. Before doing so, measures should be taken for the social and economical development of these citizens”, Mishra pointed out.
Veteran politician and Excise minister Damodar Rout echoed similar voice over the welfare plan. “The programmes which are not implemented with a pragmatic approach do not yield fruitful results. Now-a-days, cheap campaigning are made every where to influence the voters. Now, all the schemes in the country aim at acquiring power and not for bringing growth”, Rout said.
The top BJD leader also expressed concern over the politicians and political parties’move for power and properties. The minister pinned hope on media, sociologists and economists , who can change such a trend.