BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of the release of its 2019 Assembly election manifesto, the BJP on Saturday assured to address three major issues confronting the State - land for the landless, housing for all and jobs to unemployed -  if it is voted to power.

Virtually sounding the poll bugle from the Capital by organising a meeting - ‘Pratisruti Samabesh’ - Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan slammed the BJD Government for failing to fulfil its promises made in the last four elections.

“We will fulfil the dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi if BJP is voted to power in Odisha. We have assured land to landless, pucca houses to all and jobs to youth,” Pradhan told a gathering of party workers here.

In a bid to win the confidence of people, the BJP started distributing ‘letter of assurance’ forms with a promise to fulfil their basic demands if voted to power.

Dubbing the BJD Government inefficient and corrupt, the Union Minister said over 20 lakh people of the State are landless while 30 lakh families are still leaving in kuchha houses despite promises of the ruling party in successive poll manifestos since 2000.

Pradhan asserted that construction of over 10 lakh houses in the State was possible due to sustained efforts of the Modi Government with increased financial assistance under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY).
Lambasting the State Government for its poor track record in creating employment opportunities, Pradhan said it is a matter of great concern that the rate of employment in the State is only one per cent during the last 10 years.

Though the Centre had extended all possible assistance to improve the rate of employment, the Odisha Government created hurdles by refusing to extend cooperation resulting in delay in grounding of several Central projects in the State.

The Union Minister said the party will launch similar programmes across the State to reach out people in at least 50,000 villages before the ensuing election to Assembly and Lok Sabha.

In their address, senior BJ leader Biswa Bhusan Harichandan and Aparajita Sarangi urged the party workers to take the message of NDA Government’s achievements to the people with a request to give BJP a chance to prove its merit.