BHUBANESWAR: President of BJD and leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Saturday accused the BJP government of conspiring to stop the most successful Mission Shakti programme.
Launching a scathing attack on the Mohan Majhi government while addressing a programme organised by the Biju Mahila Janata Dal on the occasion of International Women’s Day at Sankha Bhawan here, the former chief minister said the double-engine government first insulted Biju Patnaik who took historic steps to empower women by reserving 33 per cent seats for them in panchayats, and providing reservation in government jobs. Now, they are trying to do away with the Mission Shakti programme. Biju Babu’s birthday, which was celebrated as Panchayati Raj Divas, was also not observed due to political considerations, he said.
Naveen said his government had been instrumental in strengthening women’s representation in Panchayati Raj institutions following in the footsteps of Biju Babu. The party is also continuing its fight for one-third representation of women in Parliament and state legislatures.
“The Mission Shakti programme has empowered women and made them self-reliant. However, the double-engine government has attempted to mislead women by providing them with a meagre Rs 27 per day under Subhadra scheme while spending hundreds of crores on advertising it. Can a Subhadra beneficiary buy a litre of milk for her families with just Rs 27,” he questioned.
Naveen called upon BJD Mahila workers to make women in the villages aware that they will not benefit from the Subhadra scheme.
He honoured several successful women on the occasion. The awardees included Dr Seba Mahapatra, Kunjala Samal, Ojaswini Mahar, Jayanti Pradhan, Dr Jyotirmayee Mohanty and Dr Roza Ghosh.