BHUBANESWAR: The Naveen Patnaik Government seems to be in a rush to announce projects that will directly impact the lives of the people, as the regional party prepares to face both Assembly and general elections in the upcoming year.

Under the Mukhyamantri Sabha Gruha Scheme,  Patnaik has pledged to construct 2,000 meeting halls in western Odisha, an area known to be a stronghold of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

These assembly halls, part of the State's 5T initiative, will significantly enhance the social and cultural fabric of the western Odisha region, according to the Chief Minister of Odisha. Inaugurating and laying the foundation stones for several projects worth Rs,33.58 crore, Patnaik expressed his commitment to the development of western Odisha, stating, "The budget for the Western Odisha Development Council has doubled, and the council should undertake more programs in consultation with the people's representatives."

"The role of western Odisha is critical for the overall development of the State. The region is making progress in agriculture, industry, mining, education, and art and culture. Efforts are underway to promote tourism in the region, including the ongoing transformation work of Maa Samaleswari, Harishankar, and Nrusingnath temples. Initiatives have been taken to develop other temples and infrastructure in the region," added the Chief Minister of Odisha.

It is worth noting that the Bharatiya Janata Party secured a significant number of MP and MLA seats from the region in the 2019 elections. Political analysts predict that the Biju Janata Dal will leverage this scheme for mass mobilization on the ground.

The scheme was relaunched shortly after the State Government announced the Rs,4,000 crore "Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha" program, aimed at improving rural infrastructure and promoting, preserving, and protecting the Jagannath culture and tradition of the State.

According to the State Cabinet's approval note, the vision behind this intervention is to transform Odisha into a modern and aspirational State while retaining the essence, soul, and spirit of Jagannath culture and spreading it to the world. Although not a new scheme, it represents a change in nomenclature from the previously launched "Ama Gaon Ama Bikash" program, just before the 2019 elections.

Meanwhile, opposition political parties have criticized the scheme, claiming that the Naveen Patnaik Government is allocating funds to gram panchayats shortly before the elections. Both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Congress refer to it as BJD's election funds. In addition, the previous State Cabinet approved the establishment of 99 33/11 kV sub-stations and 64 independent lines with an outlay of Rs,1,796.73 crore.

Since the first week of June, V.K. Pandian, Private Secretary to the Chief Minister of Odisha, has been touring various districts and announcing district-specific projects.  Pandian, following Patnaik's instructions, has been reviewing the progress of several development projects and collecting 18,000 petitions (grievances) during his visits to districts such as Keonjhar, Ganjam, Boudh, Dhenkanal, Angul, Jagatsinghpur, and Cuttack. The Chief Minister of Odisha has assured that each petition will be carefully examined, and action will be taken based on their merits.

Political parties are divided in their speculations regarding the possibility of an early election by the Naveen Patnaik Government. "Given the introduction of populist schemes and the speed at which they were announced, it appears that the BJD Government is considering an early election. In Congress, we have already started holding meetings, considering the preparations required to face an early election," said Bijay Patnaik, former Chief Secretary of Odisha and senior Congress leader. However, top BJP leaders believe that simultaneous elections could be held next year.

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