BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday asked party leaders and workers to popularise welfare schemes launched by the State government among the people during the month-long Jana Sampark Yatra of the BJD starting October 1.
Participating in the two-day preparatory meeting of the party for the yatra virtually from Bengaluru, the CM called upon partymen to make it a success. As the country is now observing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, he advised party leaders to make people of the State aware of the contributions of freedom fighters from Odisha.
All Ministers, MPs, MLAs, state office-bearers and representatives of frontal organisations of the party from attended the meeting on the first day. The two-day organisational meet of the BJD coincides with the visit of national BJP president JP Nadda to Odisha.
Presiding over the meeting, organisational secretary of the BJD Pranab Prakash Das said the party has now become a mass movement to protect the interest of the people. BJD which was launched 25 years back by the Chief Minister has now become a big tree and represents the hopes and aspirations of 4.5 crore people of the State.
Stating that Odisha government under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik has changed the State from a deficit economy to a surplus one, senior vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said that people should be made aware of this success during the Jana Sampark Yatra.
Minister for Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak said Odisha has now become a food surplus State. Nayak said Odisha has become number one State in ensuring food security.
Senior leader Prasanna Acharya targeted the Opposition political parties for being busy preparing strategy to defeat the Chief Minister while he is working to banish poverty from the State. Several other senior leaders and former ministers also addressed the meeting.