Promising To Be Game Changer, BJP Ended Up Being...: Naveen Patnaik

Leader of the Opposition in Odisha Assembly, Naveen Patnaik, on Monday claimed that the BJP came to power in the state promising to be a game changer, but ended up becoming just a "name changer".

He also alleged that the government did not provide enough funds in the budget for several schemes the saffron party promised in its election manifesto.

While participating in the general discussion on the annual budget for fiscal 2024-25 in the assembly, the Biju Janata Dal president asserted that the BJP altered the names of 45 schemes of the previous BJD government.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the BJP government's maiden budget on July 25.

"The BJP said its government will be a game changer, but unfortunately it has ended up being a name changer. It has presented a name-changing and colour-changing budget," said Mr Patnaik who was the chief minister of Odisha for five terms.

He claimed that 80 per cent of the previous BJD administration's schemes were repeated in the BJP government's budget.

"The BJP formed the government by promising people that they would bring paribartan (change). After going through the budget documents, I find this government has changed the names of 45 schemes," said the BJD president.

It shows the robustness, pro-people and progressive character of the schemes designed and implemented by the BJD government, he claimed.

Though Mr Patnaik did not explain what he meant by "colour change", he apparently referred to the change of the colour of LAccMI buses (an affordable bus service for villagers) from green to saffron after the BJP came to power in the state last month.

Mentioning several promises made by the BJP before the elections, Mr Patnaik claimed that the budget did not provision for funds required to implement them.

The government will need Rs one lakh crore to implement the Subhadra scheme but the budget mentioned only Rs 10,000 crore, he said.

"This will cover less than 10 per cent of the over two crore women of Odisha. What about the rest 1.80 crore women? Mr Patnaik said.

Under the scheme named after Lord Jagannath's sister, cash vouchers of Rs 50,000 will be provided to women of the state.

Mr Patnaik said the BJP promised to increase social security pension to Rs 3,500 per month. There are about 50 lakh pensioners in the state, out of which hardly one lakh will benefit as per the budget allocation, he claimed.

"What will happen to the rest 49 lakh pensioners between the age of sixty years to eighty years of age including widows, PWDs and distressed people? You need about Rs 21,000 crore per year to fulfil this promise," he pointed out.

Referring to BJP's announcement of Rs 3100 as MSP per quintal of paddy to farmers, Patnaik said that the allocation kept in the budget will not be adequate to cover even 30 per cent of the peasants.

This apart, Mr Patnaik said that the BJP has promised 3000 units of free electricity. The Central government has planned free power for one crore houses for the entire country and Odisha's share may be three lakh houses, he said.

"We have one and half crore houses in the state. Is this the free electricity you promised to the people?" the former chief minister said.

Mr Patnaik claimed that in the next five years, the BJP won't be able to cover even five per cent of Odisha's population under the 3000 units of free electricity scheme.

To create 25 lakh 'Lakhpati Didis' (self-help group members) by 2027 as promised by the BJP, the government will need about Rs 20,000 crore, while the allocation is only Rs 1,000 core for this, Patnaik said.

He also demanded that the government table the detailed list of 'Lakhpati Didis' in the assembly.

Referring to the BJP's promise of a developed Odisha by 2036, Mr Patnaik said the budget provides Rs 20 crore for the industrial corridor connecting Rourkela-Sambalpur-Paradip and Dhamra by June 2027. A corridor like this will not cost less than Rs one lakh crore, he claimed.

Sharpening his criticism of the government, the BJD president described the BJP as a 'Jumla' (gimmick) party.

"I am sorry, but you (BJP) have cheated the people of Odisha", the BJD chief said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)