Odisha's Revenue Minister Surya Narayan Patro faced protest in his constituency Digapahandi in Ganjam district on way to a function along with Health Minister Damodar Rout.
People, including Panchayat Raj Institution members of eight gram panchayats under Kukudakhandi block staged a dharna near the gate of the block office, preventing entry of the revenue minister during his visit yesterday.
Residents of Nimakhandi, Borigaon, Gurunthi, Ankushapur, Mahuda, Dengapadar, Kukudakhandi and Baulajhari were protesting alleged irregularities in sanction of old-age pension in their panchayats, police sources said.
The ministers along with Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Kumar Panigrahi, were there to inaugurate a newly-constructed tehsil office building and unveil a statue of Biju Patnayak. Patro attended the function after sub-collector (Berhampur) B K Das intervened and pacified the agitators.
"We have prepared a list of beneficiaries. The list was submitted to BDO. But old-age pension was not sanctioned according to the list", alleged Ankushapur sarpanch Bidyadhar Jana.
