Bhubaneswar, Oct. 9: The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is leaving no stone unturned to perpetuate the legacy of the leader after whom it is named.

The BJD government continues to name schemes and programmes after Biju Patnaik, father of Orissa’s present chief minister Naveen Patnaik, with the latest addition to the list being Biju Setu Yojana launched today by Naveen with the upcoming panchayat polls in mind.

The new scheme aims at construction of bridges and culverts that were damaged by the recent floods at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.

At least 400 bridges and culverts would be constructed under the scheme during the financial years 2011-12 and 2012-13.

“This scheme will help realise Biju babu’s dreams for the development of rural Orissa,” said Naveen.

The state government has also decided to spend nearly Rs 1,200 crore within 45 days before the state election commission imposes the model code of conduct for the upcoming panchayat poll.

“Many more schemes are likely to be launched after Biju babu,” said a senior BJD leader. However, the Congress and even some leaders of the BJD have been critical of the government’s move to name each and every project after Biju Patnaik.

BJD senior MLA and former minister Damodar Rout said: “Suppose the Biju Setu caves in, the leader’s fair name will be tarnished. Naming a programme and naming an institution are totally different.”

Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik said: “The BJD claims to be doing everything to translate Biju babu’s dream into reality. But we don’t exactly know what his dream was. They have named parks, roads and almost everything after Biju Patnaik. It seems he is the only leader worth emulating in Orissa.”