Naveen opposes slashing of BPL list

Rourkela, Jun 7 (UNI) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said his government would oppose tooth and nail the Centre's move to cut the BPL list by ten lakh.

Addressing a meeting, organised here to distribute old age pension launched by the state from its own resources under the name''Madhu Babu Pension Yojana'', Mr Patnaik said the state government was committed to uplifting the downtrodden by implementing various poverty alleviation programmes.

He said while the pension scheme had been introduced to extend financial support, the ''Mo Kudia ''scheme would provide home to the homeless and poor people, likely to be dropped from the BPL list due to a implementation of a formula developed by the Planning Commission.

Mr Patnaik distributed pension to 1000 beneficiaries and loan assistance amounting to Rs 25 lakh to 12 women self-help groups.

The Chief Minister also flagged off eight Janani express ambulances under the Janai Sewa programme to provide medicare to the rural poor.

He laid the foundation of the administrative blocks of the Panposh sports hostel, workshop and classrooms of government-run ITI and inaugurated the newly constructed centre for excellence building at the Government ITI, built at a cost of Rs 65 lakh, before leaving for Bhubaneswar.

UNI XC-BD SJC RN1802