Odia youths not getting jobs at IOCL refinery : BJP leader

In an embarrassment for BJP, its senior Odisha leader Bijay Mohapatra today alleged that youths from the state are not getting priority in jobs at the IOCL refinery at Paradip.
Mohapatra in a letter to Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan expressed serious concern over the manner in which Odia youths are given less priority in jobs, works and other engagements at the refinery.
"The dreams of the educated unemployed Odia youth remain shattered. Outsiders have taken over. Truly, the party (BJP) cadres have lost their moral to fight and they have no answers," Mohapatra said in the letter.

"They( the people) question our commitment to Odisha. Are you really interested for future of Odia boys? Are you working for Odisha, they ask? Are you working for Odisha or outsiders, they ask?" Mohapatra said in the letter.
Right from direct employment to indirect ones like contract work, labor, transport of goods are all being cornered or awarded to people and agencies outside Odisha, he said in the letter.
"Locals with the same qualification are left in the lurch. Even truckers or tankers are engaged from outside the state. A number of daily wagers too are from outside Odisha. One Nagaland firm has been engaged to transport gas from IOCL to different parts of India," he said.

When reporters brought Mohapatra's letter to his attention, Pradhan merely said "This is a very good proposal".
State BJP spokesman Golak Mohapatra, however, said "Bijay Babu is speaking in the voice of BJD leaders. Many people have got jobs and work after Pradhan took over the ministry.