Govt bashing at Cong hustings

KORAPUT: Congress launched its poll campaign at Jeypore in the tribal-dominated Koraput district with Naveen bashing. "The Naveen Patnaik government is non-performing. It has only cheated people in the name of industrialization," said state Congress president K P Singhdeo.
"Though over 50 MOUs have been signed, there is no sight of industries. It is only a conspiracy by the government to give away the state's mineral resources at throwaway prices.While the state's economy depends on agriculture, there is no effort to strengthen it," he said at a public meeting.
Expressing hope that the people will vote for the Congress in the coming Assembly and Lok Sabha polls, the PCC chief said the Rs 1,000 crore allotted under the Backward Region Development Fund to the state by the Centre has not been utilized. "Had the government utilized the fund, the face of tribal Orissa would have been changed," he said.
Challenging the Naveen Patnaik government's claim of economic progress, Singhdeo said the state solely depends on central funds. The Centre is giving subsidy of Rs 11 a kg for the Rs 2 a kg rice scheme, he said.
Union minister for rural development Chandra Sekhar Sahu, who was also present at the meeting, said the state government is taking all the credit for development works undertaken by the Centre in Orissa. "It is the Centre that approved establishment of a Central University, IIT, AIIMS and a handloom institute at Sambalpur. The state has received Rs 4,000 crore from the Centre under the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Electrification scheme. The CAG report reveals that the state government has failed in completely utilizing the funds received from the Centre," Sahu said.
Koraput MP Giridhar Gamang said the atmosphere in the country is in favour of the Congress for its enigmatic leaders like Sonia Gandhi, Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi. Congress has always worked for tribals and will continue to do so, he said. Koraput MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati was also present.