CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: As Odisha’s Bharatiya Janta Party government headed by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi completed three months on September 12, the ruling party seems to be focusing on its pre-election double engine development thrust. That Prime Minister Narendra Modi is visiting Odisha on his birthday on September 17 when he will launch the state government’s flagship scheme ‘Subhadra Yojana’ for women that had helped BJP’s victory in the last election shows that both the governments in Delhi and Bhubaneswar belonging to the same party are working in tandem for developmental as well as political purposes.
Subhadra scheme will benefit over one crore women in Odisha, says an advertisement published by the state government today in all the newspapers. Bhubaneswar’s Janta Maidan will be the venue for the prime minister’s programme. It was the same venue where on June 12, he had attended Odisha’s first BJP government’s swearing-in ceremony along with central leaders including chief ministers of other BJP ruled states.
During its campaign for the last Lok Sabha and assembly elections—which had been held together—the BJP in its election manifesto had promised ‘Subhadra Yojana’ which would provide a grant of Rs 50,000 to each besides a procurement rate of Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy to farmers. Both the promises helped the BJP—along with the Pandian factor—to end 24-years-old Naveen Patnaik regime as well as his Biju Janta Dal’s rout in all parliament seats in the state.
The result was BJP’s victory in both the polls. The first BJP government in the state had taken oath on June 12 under the chief ministership of tribal leader Mohan Charan Majhi. Besides sticking to the implementation of the party’s election manifesto, the chief minister has visited Delhi a few times to approach the central ministers to get the Centre’s support unlike the previous government which was complaining of alleged neglect from the Centre.
Since Union Railway Minister Aswini Vaishnaw is a Rajya Sabha MP from Odisha, he has been more liberal now to the state after the BJP government’s installation. Besides announcing new rail line projects, he has introduced more Vande Bharat Express trains in the state. Nitin Gadkari, the Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, has also sanctioned new highways after Majhi met him. Prime Minister Modi during his aggressive election campaign in the state had promised to make Odisha a best developed state. So,when he is coming to Bhubaneswar for the second time, three months after the BJP government’s formation, he is going to lay foundation stones and dedicate projects worth Rs 3800 crore. This includes rail projects worth Rs 2,800 crore and highways costing Rs 1000 crore.
But, the main purpose of Modi’s Bhubaneswar visit is to launch Subhadra Yojana for women. Though no one has said anything about the coinage, Subhadra is the name of the state’s reigning deity Lord Jagannath’s younger sister. In Puri temple the brother and sister along with elder brother Lord Balabhadra are worshiped and every year they join the famous car festival installed on three chariots. Subhadra Yojana is an initiative to empower women by providing them financial assistance. Ove 50 lakh women have already registered for the scheme which is going to give financial benefits to many households across the state. Each eligible woman within the age of 21 to 60 will get Rs 50,000 within next five years. It means each woman will get Rs 10,000 per annum in two equal installments from current year 2024-25 to 2028-29.The payment will be made in DBT process to the beneficiary’s Aadhar enabled and DBT enabled bank account with first phase transfer on March 8—the international women’s day—and the second phase on Rakhi Purnima every year. For this, Rs 10,000 crore has been provided in this year’s budget. Each beneficiary will get the first installment of Rs 5000 on September 17 which coincides with the prime minister’s birthday.