Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today said that Ratna Bhandar of Puri Srimandir will be opened soon and inventory of valuable stored inside the treasury will be made.
Shri Majhi said this while addressing at the Felicitation Programme organised by the BJP here to felicitate the party’s newly elected MPs and MLAs.
“There seems to be a question in people’s minds. I want to make it clear that Ratna Bhandar will be opened soon. If any irregularities are found, then stern action would be taken against those who will be found guilty,” Shri Majhi said.
The Chief Minister said no concrete step was taken to streamline rituals at the 12th century shrine, he said, adding that no fund was made available for effective temple management.
In the very first cabinet meeting, the BJP government has announced a Rs 500 corpus fund for efficient management of Jagannath temple, the CM said.
The Chief Minister also informed that action will be taken against those who looted the mineral resources of the state during the previous BJD government and those who indulged in PC practice (a corrupt practice) and weakened the state’s economy.
Asserting that the BJP government will work hard to protect Odia pride and make Odisha the number 1 state in the country, the CM said Odisha is now included in the Viksit Bharat pledge of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Stating that the priority of the new government is women, tribals, farmers and youths,Shri Majhi said the Subhadra Yojana, which was promised by the BJP in its election manifesto, will be rolled out on September 17, the birthday of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Under the scheme, cash vouchers of Rs 50,000 will be provided to women of the state.
Shri Majhi said his government has also announced to procure paddy from Odisha farmers at a price of Rs 3100 per quintal from this Kharif season.
He further informed that all promises made by the BJP in its manifesto will be covered in the 100 days action plan of the BJP Government.
State BJP President Manmohan Samal said the four major decisions taken by the BJP government in its first cabinet are just trailers. “Let’s wait 100 days, to see the picture,” he said.
“I thank 4.5 crore people of Odisha. We have the support of 81 MLAs. The BJP government will fulfil every promise made to the people in its ‘Sankalp Patra’. We will have to work hard in the next five years,” Shri Samal said.
Addressing this occasion, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said new railway projects worth Rs 1 lakh crore will be implemented in Odisha in the next five years.
The Congress government and then the BJD government have neglected the development of the railway sector in Odisha. So, with the formation of a double-engine government of BJP in Odisha and Centre, now, the gap created during the past years, will be met by creating a new record in these five years, he said.
Though many mega railway projects have been sanctioned, those were delayed due to delay in land acquisition by the previous BJD government, said Shri Vaishnaw, adding, “Now a double engine government is formed and the pace of the railway projects will be accelerated.”
The Union Minister said the allocation to Odisha in the railway budget has been enhanced from Rs 800 crore during the UPA government tenure to over Rs 10,000 crore during Modi government.
During the past three consecutive years, more than Rs 10,000 crore has been allocated to the state in the railway sector, he said.
Shri Vaishnaw further said that a new railway line of 1,826 km was constructed in Odisha during the last 10 years, which is higher than the total railway network of Sri Lanka (1700 km).
Shri Vaishnaw, who is also the IT minister, said that an electronic manufacturing cluster and a semi-conductor training centre will be set up in Odisha.
Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and two deputy chief ministers K V Singh Deo and Pravati Parida are like Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra who have been given a big responsibility for the development of the state.
Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram advised the BJP MLAs and MPs to have a mindset of ‘nation first, party second and self last’.