BHUBANESWAR: The opposition BJP on Friday gheraoed the office of Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) here alleging gross irregularities in shortlisting beneficiaries of Jaga Mission.
The party also accused BMC officials of taking bribes from ineligible persons to include them in the list of beneficiaries. Hundreds of BJP workers led by party’s spokesperson Dilip Mohanty, Bhubaneswar district president Babu Singh and leaders Jagannath Pradhan and Suniti Mund, staged protests in front of BMC headquarters on Janpath road. The workers along with some slum dwellers raised slogans against the state government and had a scuffle with police as they tried to storm into the civic body’s office. Some were detained by the police as a preventive measure.
The BJP members alleged priority is being given to BJD supporters over eligible households for inclusion in the scheme. They alleged after the drone survey while the final list of beneficiaries was prepared, the names of several eligible beneficiaries were found missing.
“The ruling party is influencing survey and finalisation of beneficiaries and priority is being given to BJD supporters,” alleged Babu. The party leaders also alleged out of 436 slums in the city, a survey has been completed in just around 125, depriving other slum dwellers of availing the benefits of Jaga Mission. BJD leaders, however, refuted the charges.