Bhubaneswar: Undeterred by criticism from opposition parties, Odisha Government on Monday highlighted its achievement, beginning with health and SC & ST Welfare departments, as part of its 3rd anniversary celebration in the fourth term rule.
As part of its strategy to reach out people after completion of their third year in the fourth term, the Biju Janta Dal (BJD) led government has started an initiative by presenting ‘report card’ of individual departments from today.
The performance of health and SC & ST welfare departments were presented on the first day.
Presenting the report card of health and family welfare department, Minister Pratap Jena said that Odisha has registered a sharp decline of 56 points in Infant Mortality Rate (IMR). The State’s IMR which was 96 per 1,000 live births in 2000 has dropped to 40 in 2015-16 while the national average is 41. Around 51,000 children are now being saved every year and the institutional delivery has also improved from 35.6 percent to 85.4.
A special budget of Rs 211 crores has been sanctioned to take forward the accelerated decline of IMR and MMR.
Chief Minister Health Mission would be launched in Odisha as part of the ongoing efforts to boost the health services in Odisha, health minister Pratap Jena said.
While highlighting the achievements of SC & ST welfare departments, minister Ramesh Majhi informed that stipends and other facilities are being provided to nearly 19 lakh SC and ST students in the state.
“Odisha is the first state to set up nearly 6,000 hostels for 5 lakh SC and ST students to provide quality education to them," Majhi said.
Earlier, chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who completed three years in office in his fourth term yesterday, has advised his ministerial colleagues and officials to follow 3Ts - teamwork, transparency and technology - to take the fruits of development to the people.
However, the BJP on the other hand has criticized the BJD government on failing to set up Health University which it had announced in 2015 and PG Institute in Capital.
“We want development of Odisha and the government should follow 3Ts --timely completion, tolerance and tricks,” said BJP leader Prithiviraj Harichandan.