Former bureaucrat and BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi on Thursday criticised the Odisha government over its 5T initiative, contending that there was no need to create a separate "power centre" for the programme as it would undermine the efficiency of other departments.
Senior BJD leader Arup Patnaik, however, was quick to hit back, asserting that the 5T model was one of its kind, and the government launched it for the welfare of people.
The BJD government has recently introduced the 5T (Teamwork, Technology, Transparency, Time leading to Transformation) initiative in the state, as part of its efforts to provide good governance.
V K Pandian, the private secretary to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has been given the additional charge of the initiative.
Maintaining that the BJD does not merit any credit for the programme, Sarangi said, "5T is not an innovative concept... It's an old one. I was taught about it during my IAS training in Mussoorie.
"Wonder why the BJD introduced the initiative after 20 years of rule in Odisha. It seems the government, all of a sudden, realised that it should be providing good governance."