SAMBALPUR: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday flayed the BJD government over its transformative governance claims saying basic healthcare service still eludes the poor and the needy in Odisha.
“Even after 76 years of Independence, ambulance is unable to reach the villages. Children suffer from malnutrition and there are no doctors in the government hospital. Is this a transformation of the 25-year-old regime?” said Pradhan, also BJP’s Sambalpur Lok Sabha candidate.
He was referring to a recent incident in Belpari village in Jujumura block of the district where a patient had to be carried on a cot to an ambulance.
Citing statistics, Pradhan said 19 per cent children in Odisha are born underweight, while 31 pc are stunted. Similarly, 64 pc children and 62 pc women suffer from anemia.
He castigated the state government for poorly-staffed government hospitals with severe shortage of doctors, nurses and health workers, located within 40-50 km from the district headquarters. “Things are even worse in the interior areas. Is this transformation of a 25-year-rule?”” he questioned.
“Leaders of the ruling party are spreading lies about making Odisha the number one state but the Jujumura incident has exposed the real state of health in the state,” he added.
Pradhan said people of Odisha have decided to make Narendra Modi prime minister for the third time and bring a double engine government to the state.
The union minister also visited the Sri Ram Temple and offered puja at Maneswar. Later, he joined the blood donation camp organised by city-based social organisation ‘Seva Bharti’ at Govindpali.
