Union ministers criticise Naveen Patnaik for staying away from function

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Union ministers Jual Oram, Giriraj Singh and Dharmendra Pradhan criticised today Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and two other state ministers for staying away from a event marking the inauguration of National SC-ST Hub State Conclave here.

They also accused the Odisha government of not supporting Centre's programmes and schemes in the state.

National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) sources said the Union MSME Ministry had invited Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Odisha's MSME Minister Prafulla Samal and Odisha's ST & SC Development Minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi to the function.

"It is unfortunate that none of the Odisha ministers turned up at the MSME event here even though they were invited with due respect," Oram said, adding that Odisha government's additional chief secretary, MSME, L N Gupta, however, attended the event.

"Recently someone remarked that leaders from the Centre and state came together to pay homage to Atalji, but when will they join hands for development of the state. It seems like a distant dream," Oram added.

Expressing his displeasure towards the Odisha government, Oram said though his ministry had proposed the state government to spend Rs 50 crore for procurement of minor forest produces, it has not been taken up.

As a result, the tribals are deprived of getting minimum support price on minor forest produces, he claimed.

"I sent two secretaries to discuss the matter with the state government, but they (state government) did not respond to the Centre's offer," he said.

Oram also said that his proposal to revive Tribal Development Cooperative Corporation (TDCC) has not been taken seriously.

"Though I have sanctioned some funds for OMFED, a major portion of it have been misappropriated and inquiry is going on," Oram said.

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said, "Though the people are getting skill training in Odisha, they are not getting employment in the state. The people are migrating to other places in search of jobs as they state government failed to create facilities."
"We had proposed the state government to produce bio-gas from cow dung and to start a project of cultivating Kewda in the coastal districts. The state government in its reply said that they will be doing it on their own. But, nothing has been done."