Bhubaneswar, Oct. 27: Cash, not kind, seems to be the new mantra of the Biju Janata Dal government.

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik will formally initiate the transfer of money to the beneficiaries under the “free bicycle scheme” from Paralakhemundi in Gajapati district on Friday. Nearly 2.5 lakh Class X students will benefit from the scheme.

Ahead of the panchayat elections, the government seems determined to disburse cash to the beneficiaries of different welfare schemes. The elections will be held in the first quarter of 2012.

Naveen has also activated the government machinery and begun touring the districts before the model code of conduct comes into force.

This is also being seen as an attempt at refurbishing the image of the government, which had taken a beating in the wake of a string of scams and scandals. Naveen’s actions seem like an effort to win back the people’s confidence through the cash-centric measures ahead of the elections.

“Under the bicycle scheme, money will be directly disbursed to the accounts of the students. Each student will receive Rs 2,600 for buying a cycle. There are many other welfare schemes which are in the pipeline where money will be directly accounted to the beneficiaries,” said a senior official. The government will spend Rs 46 crore per annum under this scheme.

Free bicycles will be gifted to the girls studying in Class X of government and government-aided schools across the state. Scheduled Caste and tribal boys studying in these schools in the state’s scheduled areas will also benefit from the scheme.

The government has already started transferring money to labourers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

With the introduction of a number of welfare schemes, the Opposition finds itself in a tight spot on how to counter Naveen’s game plan.

State panchayat parishad president Shankarsan Parida said: “The state government is trying to hijack all central government-sponsored schemes. We are aware that the government will go ahead in giving money to the people under various welfare schemes. However, the people will teach a lesson to the corrupt Naveen Patnaik government.”

Parida said the state government was also planning to give Rs 10,000 each to all women self-help groups. Nearly three lakh such groups exist in the state.

Last week, the state government announced the “Mamata” scheme, aimed at addressing the nutrition problems of pregnant women. Under the scheme, pregnant women registered with anganwadi centres will receive Rs 5,000 in four instalments. On the day of the launch, around 50,000 pregnant women got their first instalment of Rs 1,500 through electronic transfer of funds.

The state government has introduced an e-scholarship programme, Prerana, to directly transfer the money.

Earlier, the government had also announced that it would give Rs 1,000 directly to the flood-hit villages and Rs 25,000 to blocks of the flood-hit areas. Similarly, youth clubs at the panchayat level will get Rs 10,000 to promote sports and harmony.

BJD’s Rajya Sabha member Baishnab Parida said: “The Opposition are in the habit of pointing fingers. The government is promoting transparency by trying to avoid the middleman system. This is not typical of Orissa, it is happening in other states as well.”