JAJPUR: The campaign for the three-tier local body elections in Jajpur district gained pace on Tuesday with BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik addressing five public meetings in the district. Hopping from one place to another in an helicopter, Naveen ensured that he covered most parts of the
district.
Patnaik addressed people at Duburi, Korei, Binjharpur, Baruan and Jaraka of five Assembly constituencies where he tried to impress upon the people that development works undertaken by his Government are aimed at uplifting the poor and the downtrodden, women and students.
Encouraged by the huge turnout at public meetings, the Chief Minister spoke in Odia at all the five places and tried to interact with the masses. Patnaik referred to the development and pro-poor programmes being undertaken by his Government and promised them a developed rural Odisha. “The State Government has chalked out many development and poverty alleviation programmes in rural areas across the State from its own resources. The schemes introduced from the State’s own fund are Madhubabu Pension Yojana, Biju Kutir Jyoti Yojana, Mamata Scheme and Mo Kudia Yojana. Odisha is the first state in the country which has given 50 per cent reservation to women in Panchayati Raj institutions with a belief that development of a woman can help a state prosper,” said Naveen.
The Chief Minister, however, left the people of Barachana and Bari disappointed by skipping the election meetings there. Amar Satpathy of NCP represents Barachana while Debashis Nayak, Bari MLA, has been suspended from the BJD for anti-party activities.
Finance Minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei, Jajpur MP Mohan Jena, local legislators and BJD district president Rahas Behari Das attended.