 "Sonia pours venom on BJD over farmers suicide, NREGA scam")
UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi today came down hard on the Naveen Patnaik led Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government in Odisha, blaming its anti-farmer policies for the rising suicide cases.
She also unleashed attack on the BJD rule for massive loot of funds meant for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
“Nearly 4000 farmers in Odisha have been compelled to commit suicide due to anti-farmer policies pursued by the BJD government. The Centre believes that farmers are entitled to bonus but the same was denied by the state government here. Our government built dams for providing irrigation facility to farmers but the benefits went to big companies”, she said, addressing a public gathering at Balasore.
While the UPA government at the Centre framed the Food Security Act to ensure food for all, the Odisha government did not implement it, she said.
Referring to a report of the Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG), Gandhi said, Rs 2700 crore meant for the BPL (below poverty line) families was looted by the BJD government.
She also alleged the state government in connivance with the chit fund companies looted crores of rupees of innocent investors.
To ensure forest rights for tribals, the UPA government framed the Forest Right Act but people did not get the benefits because of BJD rule, she rued.
Lashing out at both the BJD and BJP, Gandhi said the two political parties were devoid of ideologies and had no concern for the people. Labelling the two parties 'opportunistic', she held that they were only bent on grabbing power.
“The BJP's agenda is to divide the society on caste and communal lines. This will be a loss for you and the nation”, she added.
Exhorting the people to vote for the Congress, she said, “We have got an opportunity to elect a government that will strive to empower all sections of the society. Such a government can only be provided by the Congress.”
Commenting on the central government's initiatives for Balasore, the UPA chairperson said, “Our government has announced a medical college at Balasore. An IT park has been established. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is also being set up. The Agni ballistic missile centre is at Chandipur which we are all proud of.”
Gandhi also addressed a public meeting at north Odisha town Baripada earlier in the day.
She also unleashed attack on the BJD rule for massive loot of funds meant for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA).
“Nearly 4000 farmers in Odisha have been compelled to commit suicide due to anti-farmer policies pursued by the BJD government. The Centre believes that farmers are entitled to bonus but the same was denied by the state government here. Our government built dams for providing irrigation facility to farmers but the benefits went to big companies”, she said, addressing a public gathering at Balasore.
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Taking a dig at the BJD government on MGNREGA scam, the UPA leader said, “Our government gave thousands of crore to your state. But the BJD government looted the funds resulting in unemployed youths struggling for jobs outside. In the entire country, this is the only state where scam of the scale of over Rs 500 crore has happened under the scheme”
While the UPA government at the Centre framed the Food Security Act to ensure food for all, the Odisha government did not implement it, she said.
Referring to a report of the Comptroller & Auditor General of India (CAG), Gandhi said, Rs 2700 crore meant for the BPL (below poverty line) families was looted by the BJD government.
She also alleged the state government in connivance with the chit fund companies looted crores of rupees of innocent investors.
To ensure forest rights for tribals, the UPA government framed the Forest Right Act but people did not get the benefits because of BJD rule, she rued.
Lashing out at both the BJD and BJP, Gandhi said the two political parties were devoid of ideologies and had no concern for the people. Labelling the two parties 'opportunistic', she held that they were only bent on grabbing power.
“The BJP's agenda is to divide the society on caste and communal lines. This will be a loss for you and the nation”, she added.
Exhorting the people to vote for the Congress, she said, “We have got an opportunity to elect a government that will strive to empower all sections of the society. Such a government can only be provided by the Congress.”
Commenting on the central government's initiatives for Balasore, the UPA chairperson said, “Our government has announced a medical college at Balasore. An IT park has been established. The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) is also being set up. The Agni ballistic missile centre is at Chandipur which we are all proud of.”
Gandhi also addressed a public meeting at north Odisha town Baripada earlier in the day.