Bhubaneswar: BJD President and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today campaigned for the party’s candidates and sought blessings of the people in both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections in the State.
The Chief Minister addressed public meetings in Khurda, Nayagarh, Puri, and Cuttack. During his short interaction with people, Patnaik got feedback on BSKY, Mamata Yojana, Laxmi bus service, functioning of women SHGs, Adarsh School, free power supply, scholarships for students and at the last he sought their opinion on himself. The crowd responded with a concerted voice “we love you Naveen ”.
Later, senior BJD leader V K Pandian elaborated about various schemes of the BJD government and sought votes for both MLA and MP nominees. To rope in the middle-class voters, he said the BJD announced a number of facilities like to subsidise interest on home loan and study loans to ensure minimum financial burden on them.
The students of middle class families will be provided with scholarships at the rate of Rs.12,000 for boys and Rs.14,000 for girl students per year, Shri Pandian said.
The bureaucrat turned politician also informed that the first work by Naveen Patnaik after taking oath on June 9 will be signing of free electricity bill and then issue of BSKY cards which did not have it besides ration cards.
He said all the vacant posts in the government sector will be filled up to provide employment to youths. The WSHG members will be paid allowance and pension while their interest free loan limit has been increased to Rs15 lakh, he said.
Naveen Patnaik has planned for a comprehensive development of Puri and many developmental works like trumpet bridge (Sri Setu), Sri Marg, Parikrama corridor, multi- level parking lots have been completed, Shri Pandian said at Puri meeting.
He said the International Airport will be made functional within three years since Naveen Patnaik wants to transform Puri into an international heritage spot which will boost tourism. Soon Puri will become the economic backbone of the state, he added.
In the evening, the Chief Minister conducted a roadshow in Bhubaneswar-North assembly constituency here.
In a specially-designed bus, Shri Patnaik led the roadshow from Rental Omfed Square to Patia via Saliasahi and Dhamana. Thousands of people lined up on both sides of the stretch, waving to the CM, holding the BJD poll symbol and raising slogans hailing him. Many people were also seen enthusiastically clicking pictures on their mobile phones.
Elaborate security arrangements have been made in the entire area for the roadshow, police said.
During his brief speech from the top of the bus, the Chief Minister has reminded the people of the BJD’s promise to provide free electricity to the domestic consumers from July and extension of the health assurance scheme— Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY) for all.
Notably, the ruling BJD’s manifesto had promised to provide free electricity up to 100 units per month and a 50 percent subsidy from 100 to 150 units, benefiting what the party claimed to be about 90 percent of the population.