Odisha BJP protests over non-allocation of funds for Bijepur irrigation project

BHUBANESWAR: The BJP on Saturday staged a protest near the statue of poet Gangadhar Meher at Nalco Square in the capital city over non-allocation of funds in the supplementary budget for the recently announced Gangadhar Meher pipe-based irrigation project for Bijepur area of Bargarh district.
The BJP Krushak Morcha leaders said chief minister Naveen Patnaik had announced Rs 1250 crore for the project on October 16 by keeping the Bijepur bypoll in his mind.But neither the government allocated a single pie for the project nor mentioned about the poet’s name, the added.
“This attitude proves that the state government has made a false promise to score political brownie points. It has played with the emotion of people of the state by insulting the noted litterateur,” said party vice president Samir Mohanty.
He said Bargarh has witnessed the worst pest menace this year. Some parts of the district do not get irrigation facility.
“The chief minister promised to provide the facility and forgot to allocate fund for this. He betrayed the people of the district,” he added.
The party leaders said they will make people aware about the false promises of the state government. The public will decide the fate of the BJD government in the upcoming elections, they added.
BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said the state government is committed to create irrigation facility in Bijepur area. The BJP is making it an issue to dilute the Mahanadi water dispute by organizing such protests.
“BJP is terrified with BJD’s popularity in Bijepur area. They want to get some political mileage by raising nonissues. We don’t shout, we work,” he added.