BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday said the BJP’s ongoing ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ is centred on public service rather than politics as a pursuit of power.
Addressing the ‘Seva Jyoti Yatra’ at Khurda to commemorate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 25 years in public service, Majhi said the campaign, launched from the historic soil of Khurda, was meant to reinforce the message of selfless service associated with Modi’s political journey.
He said Modi’s governance had placed the poor, women, youth and other vulnerable sections at the centre of development. Schemes such as Ujjwala, Jan Dhan and Swachh Bharat, he said, demonstrated the emphasis on last-mile delivery.
“Politics should not be a means of gaining power or privilege. It should be a means of serving people,” he said, urging party workers to ensure that the benefits of government schemes reached people at the grassroots.
Turning to the performance of the BJP government in the state, Majhi said the double-engine government had accelerated development through closer coordination between the Centre and the state.
He highlighted free education from KG to PG, reservation for SCs, STs and OBCs, and wider healthcare coverage through Ayushman Bharat and the Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana. More than 80 per cent of the state’s population, he said, was now covered under the two health schemes.
Majhi also cited housing support for poor families and the government’s target of ensuring roads, drinking water and electricity in every village by 2027. He referred to the Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana, Subhadra scheme and CM-Kisan as key measures aimed at supporting poor families, women and farmers.
On investment, he said Odisha had received proposals worth Rs 22.50 lakh crore during the two years and three months of the BJP government.
Taking a jibe at the previous BJD government, the chief minister said, “What could not be achieved in 24 years is now becoming a reality under the ‘people’s government’. For 24 years, initiatives that required intent and commitment remained neglected. Today, it is not about announcements but implementation, not promises but transformation.”
Majhi later lit the Seva Jyoti near the new bus stand to flag off the padayatra. State BJP president Manmohan Samal and state co-in-charge Swadesh Singh were among those present at the inauguration of a ‘Viksit Bharat @2047’ exhibition at the state party office. The exhibition showcased milestones in growth, welfare and self-reliance during Modi’s 25 years of public life.
