Bhubaneswar: Soon after Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik placed a demand for 5 lakh pucca houses before Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP targeted the state government over tall claims made regarding Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana.
Addressing a presser in Bhubaneswar, senior BJP leader KV Singh Deo questioned that if Odisha CM and State government claimed that houses have been allotted to people under Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, then why 12 lakh people have to be evacuated for cyclone Fani?
“Has the Odisha government identified the beneficiaries or prepared a list of the houses damaged in the cyclone? The State government had done nothing towards cyclone management as people moved to cyclone shelters on their own and even no arrangements of food were made at such shelters,” Singh Deo said.
The senior BJP leader further questioned how work orders for pucca houses can be issued by June 1 when Odisha has not yet identified the beneficiaries in the cyclone-affected districts. He further alleged that the CM has only conducted an aerial survey and not visited a single village affected by cyclone Fani.
Earlier, CM Naveen Patnaik in a letter had requested PM Modi to sanction 5 lakh pucca houses for the cyclone-affected people of the state.
“The rainy season is fast approaching and the monsoon is likely to reach Odisha around June 10. Therefore, keeping in view the urgency to provide pucca houses to the affected people, we are going ahead with issuing of work orders from June 1 in anticipation of approval of our proposal by the Government of India,” said the Chief Minister.
Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Suresh Routray also slammed Odisha government’s post cyclone restoration and rehabilitation work in the affected districts. He alleged that be it the CM, the chief secretary or the SRC, everybody’s action has been limited to review meetings and press statements.
“It is over 11 days and still the State government has failed to complete power restoration. People are facing problems of drinking water and many are yet to get relief materials. The CM is only visiting the secretariat and conducting review meetings,” said Routray.
No comments on the allegations of BJP and Congress could be obtained from State government or the ruling-BJD.