Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), April 25: Following BJD president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s rallying call, Nabin Odisha chairman V K Pandian initiated his vision for a ‘developed state by 2036’ with his inaugural rally in Koraput, scheduled for the first-phase elections in Odisha on May 13. Addressing a public gathering in Semiliguda, Pandian took a veiled swipe at Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, also the BJP MP candidate from Sambalpur, over his criticism of the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).
Pandian defended BSKY as a groundbreaking initiative by the CM, enabling access to top-notch healthcare for the underprivileged across major hospitals in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Raipur, and Visakhapatnam. He emphasized the CM’s ethos of action over rhetoric, contrasting it with what he termed as Pradhan’s penchant for hollow rhetoric.
Highlighting the CM’s commitment to Odisha’s 4.5 crore populace, Pandian underscored various welfare measures, including the enhancement of monthly pensions under Madhu Babu Pension Yojana (MBPY) and an increment in minimum wages. He lauded Mission Shakti as a flagship program empowering women and highlighted interest-free loans of up to Rs 10 lakh for self-help groups (SHGs) under the scheme.
Furthermore, Pandian outlined the developmental demands of the Pottangi constituency, encompassing regions like Damanjodi, Pottangi block, Nandapur block, Semiliguda block, and three gram panchayats. He cited initiatives like the KALIA scheme benefiting farmers and the integration of digital boards in 50 high schools under the 5T transformation program.
