Padmapur in Odisha has become a flashpoint with two Union Ministers, Ashwini Vaishnaw and Narendra Singh Tomar, campaigning at Baragarh’s Paikamal ahead of the by-poll. The two targeted the state government over a much-discussed railway project and crop insurance for farmers.
Fight over Railway Project
While addressing a rally, Union Railway Minister Vaishnaw raked up the point of a new rail line between Baragarh-Nuapada via Padmapur — which has been a point of contention between the state and Centre — and threw an open challenge to the state government that had accused Centre of neglecting people’s demand for improving connectivity.
Blaming the state for delaying the project, Vaishnaw said the Centre will start work on the railway project “tomorrow” if the state provides land for it. “People know that PM Modi thinks about the development of Odisha and all promises made to the state will be fulfilled by the Prime Minister,” said the Railway minister.
Responding to the BJP’s allegations BJD Parliamentarian Prasanna Acharya, however, said it is false and has no fact. “Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik will provide free land for railway projects but did the central government give a letter to the state for the land?” asked Acharya. When the leader was asked whether any survey for the railway project was done, the BJP leader said the Centre has not asked for any land.
Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said: “Odisha has received the highest-ever allocation of Rs 10,000 crore in Union Budget 2022-23. It is my open challenge — if Odisha government provides land for the Bargarh-Nuapada project tomorrow, the work will start the very next day. ”
Countering the Railway minister’s claims, Prasanna Acharya said: “I don’t think I should reply to such falsehood. What the minister stated in the election meeting is not based on truth.”
“Why have they not done the survey so far? A one-and-a-half year back, the railway ministry had categorically stated they are stopping the project because it was not financially viable,” added the senior BJP leader.
The leader went on to add that Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also stated that the state will bear all the funds required for the land acquisition and would additionally give Rs 300 crore to start the project.
Blame Game Over Crop Insurance
On the other hand, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar targeted the state government over crop insurance. Narendra Tomar Singh said the Centre has released funds in Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) under the crop insurance scheme but Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is misleading people. However, responding to BJP’s allegation, BJD said the Centre’s claim is false and has no facts to support its claim.
To back its claims, BJD said the Union government provides the money through an insurance company and it is being delayed because the government has a soft corner for the insurance firms.
Senior BJD Leader Prasanna Acharya said: “BJP is trying to mislead people of this area and Western Odisha. Very humbly, with all politeness and humanity, I want to state that our people are not fools. They know everything. The insurance is paid by insurance companies. The state’s share of the premium on behalf of farmers, which is worth Rs 623 crore, has been paid on time by the state government. The central advisory committee, however, has made an unnecessary delay. Due to this, farmers of Odisha are losing Rs 200 crore.”
Comments
0 comment