Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan slammed the State Government at public meetings held in Jaleswar and Bahanga blocks on Sunday stating that the Naveen Patnaik regime of 19 years is not only corrupt but also inefficient doing nothing for youths, women and farmers. Pradhan said the farmers of Odisha are not getting Rs 1,750 for a quintal of paddy which the Central Government has approved. The farmers are forced to resort to distress sale of their produce. The State Government has failed to provide irrigation facility to farmers, drinking water to villages, teachers for schools and doctors for hospitals. Time has come to ask questions to this “deaf and dumb Government, he urged the voters. Due to the inefficiency of the State Government, a mega irrigation project in river Subarnarekha couldn’t materialise, he alleged.
