10,166 villages in Odisha have no road connectivity: Congress

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) president Niranjan Patnaik on Monday hit out at the state government for failing to construct roads in rural areas.

Quoting a written reply in the state Assembly, Patnaik said 10,166 villages in Odisha have no road connectivity as per Core Road-Network prepared in 2001 under Prime Minister rural road construction scheme.

“But prior to this, on 15th September, a report said Odisha is number one in terms of rural road construction. Besides, Odisha has got an award from Government of India for constructing the highest rural roads in 2017-18. But still 10,166 villages remained untouched in terms of road construction,” said the PCC president.

He said BJD government led by Naveen Patnaik has failed drastically on this front in last 18 years of its rule while the Centre is felicitating the state government.

“This is how their relationship is going on and they are in support of each other,” he added.

Patnaik said many villages in the state are located in remote areas and having no road connectivity.

“Pregnant women are giving birth on the roadside because the ambulance could not reach their villages. Fire service vehicles are also not reaching their villages in the time of emergency. But the BJD government is announcing one after another scheme only to mislead the common men in the name of development,” said the PCC president.

The PCC chief further said that Modi government at Centre has maintained relations with Nitish Kumar in Bihar and Naveen Patnaik in Odisha for their personal and political benefit.

Modi government rewarded Bihar government in 2017 June for rural road construction. In the same function, Odisha was felicitated for constructing the highest number of houses under Prime Minister Awas scheme, he pointed out.

“Only 9% of the houses have been completed in the state out of the allotted numbers. But Odisha is awarded in the housing sector. Farmers in Odisha are committing suicide, but the state is getting an award in agriculture production. This unholy alliance of BJD and BJP is ruining the economy and social sector of the state,” alleged Patnaik.