At least 11 Congress activists were arrested for showing black flags to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during his visit to the tribal dominated Mayurbhanj district today.
While eight leaders, including district Congress committee vice president Bhuvan Bihari Sahu and district youth congress secretary Jitendra Raj, were arrested at Karanjia, three others were held at Thakumunda, police said.
Protesting the visit of Patnaik to the district, the slogan shouting activists holding black flags tried to break the security barricade in a bid to proceed close to the chief minister at both the places, they said.
However, the police personnel deployed in the area swung into action and took the protesters into custody.
During his visit, the chief minister launched a state level Gaon Swasthya Sameekhya programme for the first time in the state to monitor the health services meant for people.
While launching the programme at Kardiha in Karanjia area, the Chief Minister said his government has already introduced several developmental programmes under health services for implementation in rural level. �
Under this newly launched scheme, the state government would review the progress and benefit of several health services programmes with private public partnership from village level to state level, he added.�
Health and Family Welfare department in collaboration with rural development, Women and Child Development, School and Mass Education, ST/SC Development departments, would coordinate for greater accountability of several health services programmes in future, Patnaik said.
