Bhubaneswar, Aug. 28: The state government's Mahaprayan scheme was launched last week as a free service only to be found that users would have to pay a fee to avail of the facility. The government has finally woken up to the lacunae and intends to correct the gap between the chief minister's promise and reality.

However, the state government's change of mind did not happen automatically. Realisation dawned on the government after The Telegraph in its edition dated August 28 ('CM promise stumbles on rule') quoted a government circular that contradicted chief minister Naveen Patnaik's announcement about the scheme being free.

Incidentally, the scheme was launched in Cuttack a day after Daana Majhi's 16km trek with his wife's body in Kalahandi district hit the headlines.

Last week, the general administration department had issued a circular and asked district collectors to fix a rate for the service keeping in mind the mileage, maintenance and insurance deposit of the vehicle. The circular had specified that users would have to bear the operational cost to get the service.

But a day after The Telegraph's report, the state government decided to empower district collectors to provide the service free of cost to the poor and needy people who want to carry bodies from hospitals to their homes. "A notification to this effect will be issued soon," an official source said.

Responding to the report in The Telegraph, health minister Atanu Sabyascahi Nayak today said: "The government is always concerned for the cause of the poor. The collectors are being empowered to provide the Mahaprayan service free to the distressed and those belonging to the below poverty line category. The cost could be disbursed (reimbursed) from the Chief Minister's Relief fund."

Trying to undo the damage, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said: "The Mahaprayan scheme is to run on a no loss, no profit basis. There are some ambiguities in the guideline and they will soon be rectified. The government will issue an order to enable poor people get the service free of cost. All the chief district medical officers will be instructed accordingly. The district collectors can use funds available with the district units of the Indian Red Cross Society and the State Treatment Fund of the Odisha government for the purpose."

The Opposition, however, latched on the opportunity to hit out at the government.

The state unit of the BJP today criticised the government's decision to charge the users nominal fees and demanded a free-of-cost service.

State BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma said: "On humanitarian grounds, the service should be made available to all. When 108 ambulance service (under the National Health Mission) is provided free of cost, why can't we do the same in the case of hearse?"

Referring to the controversial circular, Sharma said there was no co-ordination among the officials at various levels.

"Even the chief minister is not properly briefed about various schemes. That's the reason why such lacunae are being found (in the circular)," he said.

Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan said: "It's a pracharadharmi (propaganda) government. It's busy making announcements only to hoodwink the people. There is a complete lack of co-ordination between the collectors and the officials at higher levels."

The Congress, too, was critical on this issue. Senior Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati told The Telegraph: "Once someone dies, no discrimination should be made whether he belongs to the BPL or the APL (above poverty line). The service should be made available free of cost to all irrespective of his or her social status."

As Bahinipati took on the government here, in Kalahandi, the Congress launched a padayatra from Daana Majhi's Melaghara village. Tomorrow the padayatra will cover 60km and reach Bhawanipatna, where Congress party workers will gherao the office of the district collector.

"Our objective is to highlight the plight of tribal people," said former MP Pradeep Kumar Majhi.

The BJP, too, has sent a fact-finding team led by MLA Rabi Nayak to meet Daana Majhi.

The local BJD MP Arka Keshari Deo, who had been silent for the last three days, today said: "I will meet the President and the Prime Minister on this issue. I will urge the Prime Minister to provide special focus on the development of Kalahandi. The government of India should consider taking the district directly under its wing for its overall development."