BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday released the second edition of 'Aina', a booklet containing information on all pro-people schemes and projects launched by the State Government.
The booklet published by Information and Public Relations department will be distributed among all beneficiaries in gram panchayats and urban local bodies (ULBs). However, publication of such a booklet and the decision to distribute these among beneficiaries have come in for strong criticism from opposition political parties.
Addressing a function at the Secretariat to mark the occasion, the CM said public awareness is important for successful implementation of different schemes. "If people know about schemes launched by the Government, their implementation will be successful," he said.
The booklet also contains the results from implementation of these schemes during the last two years. Statements from beneficiaries of different schemes have also found place in the booklet.
However, criticising the CM strongly for trying to mislead people by publishing such a booklet without any achievement, Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan has asked five questions.
Referring to the claim about the good work done in education sector, Pradhan has asked why the State Government has failed to take a decision on appointment of permanent teachers when thousands of posts are vacant.
Pointing towards the non-existent health services in the State, Pradhan raised the Dana Majhi incident in Kalahandi, death of children in Nagada and failure of the Government to check Japanese Encephalitis in Malkangiri.
The Union Minister asked why more than 42 per cent BPL households in the State do not have electricity connection.
Alleging that the claim made by the CM of providing 10 lakh pucca houses to beneficiaries in two years was not based on facts, he said Ministers have admitted in Assembly that only three lakh houses have been completed during the period.
Pradhan demanded that details of 85 lakh families covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA) as claimed by the State Government should be made public panchayat wise.