Union Education Minister flays Odisha govt over issues plaguing Jharsuguda

JHARSUGUDA: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan slammed the state government over various issues plaguing Jharsuguda on Sunday. Visiting the district to take stock of the party’s preparations ahead of the bypoll to Jharsuguda Assembly constituency, Pradhan highlighted several issues which he said, need to be addressed in the region including the deteriorating law and order situation.

Criticising the state government for failing to ensure the rule of law, he said it was unfortunate that a by-election is being held due to the murder of former minister Naba Kishore Das in Brajrajnagar on January 29. He also pointed to the recent kidnap and murder of a teenage boy in the district.

“Has anyone thought of the extremists hiding in Puri? Did anyone imagine that something unusual would happen on the day of Hanuman Jayanti in Sambalpur? In the Jharsuguda bypoll, our party will raise the issue of Odisha’s aspirations and expectations, including the disastrous law and order situation in the state. The people of Jharsuguda are with the BJP and will remain so,” he said.

The union minister urged the government to restore peace in Jharsuguda and said investment and employment generation can only take place in a peaceful environment, he said.“Many people in the region are forced to seek employment opportunities elsewhere due to lack of opportunities in their area. Besides, the state government has failed to allocate houses to the poor which is budgeted under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, a scheme aimed at providing affordable housing to low-income families,” he said.

Pradhan also flayed the government for not fulfilling its promises and cited the failure of Gangadhar Meher Irrigation Project in Bijepur and the unresolved grain procurement problem.On the day, Pradhan attended a meeting of local BJP workers where he welcomed new members to the party. He was accompanied by Sundargarh MP and former union minister Jual Oram and Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari.The BJP has fielded Tankadhar Tripathy in the Jharsuguda by-election which is scheduled to be held on May 10.