Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched a scathing attack on the Opposition in the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, vigorously defending his government during a heated debate on the Appropriation Bill for 2024-25 fiscal.Majhi directly blamed the previous Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government, led by Naveen Patnaik, for the “precarious” condition of key sectors such as healthcare, education, and agriculture, asserting that the former administration’s negligence had left many citizens feeling “hopeless” and “dejected.”“Under the previous regime, hopelessness and dejection spread across all sections of society. Despite claims of Odisha being a surplus economy, farmers were forced to endure severe poverty,” Majhi remarked while addressing the Assembly.“During the Naveen Patnaik government, the annual income of an Odisha farmer was a mere Rs 5,112, the second lowest in the country after Jharkhand. This stark figure stands as a testament to the plight of our farmers,” he added.Majhi also criticized the BJD government’s handling of the Kalia Yojana, a scheme aimed at providing financial aid to farmers. He questioned as to why the promised Rs 10,000 per month was reduced to Rs 4,000 annually after the 2019-20 financial year.The CM further lambasted the previous BJD administration for failing to fill over two lakh vacant government posts, including key positions in universities, schools, and colleges. As Majhi continued to pile on the criticism, members of the BJD and Congress staged a walkout in protest.Undeterred, Majhi reiterated his government’s commitment to addressing the staffing shortages in various departments and improving services in the state’s healthcare system. He also reaffirmed his pledge to enhance the quality of education at the primary, secondary, and higher levels.The CM announced plans for a thorough investigation into alleged irregularities in the BJD’s 5T Initiative, a governance model spearheaded by controversial bureaucrat V. Karthikeyan Pandian. The probe will focus on mismanagement in the implementation of infrastructure projects aimed at upgrading primary and high schools. He also said his government will undo all the missteps of the previous regime.Following the CM’s reply, the Assembly passed the Rs 2.65 lakh crore Annual Budget for 2024-25.
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