The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Odisha has changed the names of 21 state schemes launched by the previous Naveen Patnaik government, chief minister Mohan Majhi told the state assembly on Thursday.
Responding to a question by Biju Janata Dal legislator Tusharkanti Behera, Majhi said in a written reply that names of 21 schemes including that of Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana and Ama Odisha Nabina Odisha, the two schemes for health insurance and rural development respectively, have been changed.
The Biju Swastya Kalyan Yojana, the flagship health insurance scheme of the previous BJD government, has been renamed as Ayushman Bharat Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana by the government and would be implemented by the end of the current financial year. The new scheme combines the central government’s health insurance scheme Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana with that of the state scheme. Similarly, it has renamed Ama Odisha Nabina Odisha, a scheme to improve infrastructure and services in villages, rechristening it as Vikashit Gaon Vikasit Odisha.
The previous BJD government’s flagship scheme for farmers, the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) will continue as ‘CM-KISAN’ scheme.
{{/usCountry}}The previous BJD government’s flagship scheme for farmers, the Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA) will continue as ‘CM-KISAN’ scheme.
{{/usCountry}}The Majhi government has also decided to rename Odisha’s biennial investment summit, earlier called ‘Make in Odisha Conclave’ as ‘Utkarsha Utkal.’
The other schemes to be renamed are Biju Setu Yojana as Setu Bandhan Yojana, Location Accessible Multi-modal Initiative (LAccMI) scheme as Gramanchal Parivahan, Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana as Antyoday Gruha Yojana and Biju KBK as KBK Vikas Yojana. The state’s mid-day meal scheme is now known by its national name, PM Poshan Yojana. While the Odisha Millets Mission has been changed to ‘Shree Anna Abhiyan’ the Biju Yuva Sashaktikaran Yojana has been renamed as ‘Godabarisha Vidyarthi Protsahana Yojana’.
However, it was the renaming of the Biju Patnaik Sports Award in July as Odisha Rajya Krida Samman that met with stiff resistance, leading to a U-turn.
The government is also replacing the green backdrop, the thematic colour of the BJD government, with a shade of saffron. Government buildings, Class IX and X uniforms, LAccMI buses, road signs, wall posters and milk packets have all been getting a saffron hue.
The change of name, however, is estimated to cost the government several hundred crores.
Former minister and BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain said the BJP government clearly wanted to bury Biju Patnaik’s legacy. “I wish the government did some real work instead of changing the names of existing schemes. It has been about five months since the BJP came to power, but it seems they are yet to learn governance. Law and order have also taken a turn for the worse,” said former minister.
BJP leader Jatin Mohanty insisted that this wasn’t true. “The accusation that we have only changed the names and colours of the schemes without any value addition is incorrect. Our government has made several modifications to them to give better service to the people,” he said.
“We have also launched the Subhadra scheme for women and are about to give the third phase of money to the beneficiaries. We are also giving MSP of ₹3,100 per quintal to farmers this time,” Mohanty added.