Former Odisha chief minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Sunday criticised the state BJP government for failing to curb the rising crime against women.
Addressing members of the party’s women’s wing at Sankha Bhavan, the BJD headquarters, Naveen said: “Under the BJP government, atrocities against women are on the rise and no one is there to listen to their grievances… It’s a complete failure of leadership at the government level.”
Naveen said his party has always followed Biju Patnaik’s ideology and prioritised women’s empowerment. He also wrote: “Women empowerment has always been the guiding force behind all our initiatives. Odisha has distinguished itself as a champion of women empowerment through transformative programmes such as Mission
Shakti, Mamata and the pioneering gender budget. On Women’s Day we celebrate the spirit and leadership of women across all spheres, and renew our pledge to ensure a greater role for women so that their voices remain integral to policy, progress and
prosperity.”
Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi, however, said his government has been giving the “highest priority” to women’s development. Marking International Women’s Day, Majhi disbursed ₹5,106.33 crore as the fourth instalment of the Subhadra Yojana to over one crore women. Under the scheme, each beneficiary receives ₹10,000 in two instalments.
Transferring the money through DBT, Majhi said 17 lakh women have become “Lakhpati Didis” in Odisha under Subhadra scheme and that the government aims to create 60 lakh by 2047. “Today is a special day. Till now, ₹15,000 crore has been disbursed in three instalments. Today, another ₹5,000 crore has been released,” he said.
Majhi added: “The fundamental goal of all our efforts is to provide respect and equal opportunities to Nari Shakti (women power). From health to self-reliance, we are committed to advancing women’s power in every sector. Let us celebrate the courage and successes of women and build an egalitarian society.”
Deputy chief minister Pravati Parida said that distributing over ₹20,000 crore under the scheme reflects the government’s strong commitment to strengthening women’s position in the state.
