Javadekar hooks rice bet; BJD, Cong bite

BHUBANESWAR: Taking on the Naveen Patnaik Government on its populist `1 a kg rice scheme once again, Union Human Resources Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Thursday said the highly subsidised food security programme should be described as ‘Modi rice’ scheme.
As the State Government has very little contribution to the Centrally-funded scheme, the ruling BJD should not take credit for this, Javadekar told media persons after his arrival here.
On a two-day tour to the State to oversee BJP organisational works in two of the four parliamentary constituencies assigned to him ahead of 2019 general elections, Javadekar lambasted the Chief Minister for appropriating all Central schemes.

“The Chief Minister has mastered the art of appropriating Central schemes by making little contribution and taking whole credit by repackaging them as state scheme in different names,” the Union Minister said.
Though the Centre is providing `27 for the subsidised  rice, the State Government’s contribution is only `2 to make rice available at `1 through the public distribution system. However, the BJD is claming credit for the cheaper rice. Now the people have seen through this game of the ruling party.
Dubbing the BJD Government as ‘inefficient’, Javadekar said the State, despite its immense potential, has failed to witness the desired development in the last 17 years which is a long time.
As people are unhappy with the performance of the State Government, they want an answer from the ruling party regarding lack of development during the past several years, he said.

Refuting Javadekar’s allegation, the BJD said the `1 a kg rice was launched in the State before Narendra Modi came to power. The Food Security Act was passed during the UPA Government and the BJP has nothing to do with it.When the economic situation in the country is getting worse day by day, the Union Minster should give a reply to people, BJD leader Subash Singh said.
The BJP’s posters campaign exposing the claim of the BJD on the cheaper rice scheme is believed to have paid rich dividend to the saffron party in the last panchayat elections.

Cong-BJD backlash  

Bhubaneswar: THE ruling BJD and opposition Congress have strongly reacted to the statement of Union Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar that rice at D1 per kg provided to below poverty line (BPL) beneficiaries in Odisha should be described as ‘Modi rice’ as Centre contributes D27 per kg while the State provides only D2.