Naveen in poll mode, opposition targets non-performance

Even as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik gets into election mode by addressing public meetings in several districts, the Opposition political parties in the State have raised questions if he has fulfilled all the promises made in the 2009 elections.

Corruption apart, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has targeted the State Government for non-performance alleging that it has not fulfilled the promise to create 15 lakh job opportunities. The Chief Minister should explain to the people what happened to his election promises, OPCC general secretary Arjya Kumar Gyanendra told this paper.

Besides not keeping his promises made during the elections, the Chief Minister has hijacked welfare schemes launched by the Centre, Gyanendra said. He alleged that the Congress will go to the people on these issues also during the padayatra to be launched in western Odisha districts from November 14 to 19.

The State Congress, led by OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik, will launch padayatra in western Odisha districts to further strengthen the Congress base in the region.

Releasing the election manifesto for 2009, Naveen had promised creation of 15 lakh jobs in industries, disburse agriculture loan at 3 per cent interest rate and exemption of electricity duty on power used by farmers.

Gyanendra alleged that none of these promises has been redeemed by Naveen. He introduced the Rs 2-a-kg rice scheme as promised in the manifesto.

However, the subsidy given by the Centre in the cheap rice scheme is three times more than that given by the State Government. While the Centre gives a subsidy of ` 13.50 a kg in the scheme, the subsidy given by the State Government is Rs 4.50 a kg, he said.