BHUBANESWAR: Even as Odisha Government constituted the State Commission for Backward Classes, the opposition BJP on Thursday decided to corner the ruling BJD over non-implementation of 27 per cent (pc) reservation to other backward classes in Government jobs and educational institutions.
The saffron party has also lined up several issues, including large-scale irregularities in selection of beneficiaries under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), mismanagement in paddy procurement, slow progress of railway projects, deteriorating law and order situation and increasing atrocities on women to take on the treasury benches.
A meeting of the BJP legislature party chaired by Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik ahead of the budget session of the Assembly here chalked out plan of action for the session.
Criticising the BJD Government for its apathy towards OBCs in the State, BJP chief whip in the Assembly Mohan Majhi said his party will force the Government to take necessary measures during this session to fulfil constitutional obligations for the social and educational backward classes.
“We have been demanding 27 pc reservation for the OBCs as implemented by many other States. While some States have crossed the 50 pc quota ceiling, Odisha Government is not increasing the quota from 11.25 pc under the pretext that it has no quantifiable data on SEBCs. This argument is not acceptable,” he said.
Majhi said the BJP will also corner the Government on large-scale corruption in selection of beneficiaries for allotment of houses under PMAY. The Government has received Rs 14,796 crore from the NDA Government under PMAY but a large number of poor people are waiting for years to get the housing assistance.
The Government has to explain why the State is still backward in railway infrastructure development despite central assistance of more than Rs 30,000 crore in the last six years of Narendra Modi Government.
The Government will be asked to give a White Paper on the quantum of assistance it has received from the NDA Government and the amount utilised in the last six years. State BJP president Samir Mohanty and State general secretary (organisation) Manas Mohanty were also present.