BHUBANESWAR: The ruling BJD is planning to organise two big events at Cuttack and a place in Western Odisha to celebrate the birth anniversary of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik on March 5. The BJD will also complete 20 years of government in Odisha on that day. The celebration will be held at two levels.
While the State Government will organise functions and programmes for the Panchayati Raj Day, the BJD has plans to conduct conference of intellectuals and workshops to highlight welfare schemes launched during the last 20 years and their success. Sources said during the celebration, beneficiaries under different developmental schemes will be extended help.
The events will be organised to showcase the achievements of BJD in the last 20 years, said a party functionary. However, opposition BJP and Congress have come down heavily on the BJD for planning to celebrate the occasion all over the State without any development work to show. “Even today there are 38 panchayats where there is no high school. Only 41 per cent people of the State have access to electricity and there is a severe water crisis.
All these speak a lot about the so-called development that this Government is boasting of,” BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra said. Senior Congress leader Panchanan Kanungo said, “It is unfortunate that despite so many issues in education, agriculture and other sectors, they (BJD) are getting votes. This event will be a celebration of such unfortunate happenings.” BJD sources, however, said the events will involve party leaders in constituency level and give them a chance to monitor implementation of different welfare programmes. The Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also discussed the issue at the meeting of the Council of Ministers.