Angul: Continuing his attack on the BJD government in Odisha, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Monday that the state’s rich culture, traditions, and mineral resources are not secure under the current administration.
“I am pained to see so much poverty in Odisha despite the state being rich in natural resources. Who ruined Odisha? Who trampled dreams of its youth? The BJD government is entirely responsible for this. The CMO has been captured by a few corrupt people. Even small leaders of BJD have now become millionaires. The BJD didn’t let people benefit from the mineral resources in Odisha,” he told a rally in Angul.
The Prime Minister remarked that Odisha has been receiving increased royalties since his government introduced a new mining policy in 2014. “Modi has established a District Mineral Fund to ensure a portion of every mineral extracted is used for local development. The center has allocated Rs 26,000 crore under the DMF, intended for building schools and laying roads in the Dhenkanal region. However, the BJD has misappropriated these funds,” he alleged.
He further claimed that even the Shree Jagannath Temple is not safe under BJD’s rule. “In the last six years, they haven’t been able to locate the missing keys of Ratna Bhandar. The BJD government and close associates of the Chief Minister are concealing something significant. The entire state of Odisha wants to know what the suppressed investigation report contains. BJD’s silence is heightening public suspicion. I assure you that once a BJP government is formed in Odisha, the truth will be revealed, and the investigation report will be made public,” he stated.