Congress describes Rs 2 kg rice scheme as an election gimmick

Angul, Aug 2 (UNI) The opposition Congress today criticised the Orissa government for launching Rs 2-kg rice scheme and described it as an election gimmick.

Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee Chief Jaydev Jena told a public meeting here that the Naveen Patnaik government's new scheme was to gain political mileage before the coming election.

Mr Jena said, had the state government launched the scheme from the beginning of its tenure nine years ago the Congress could have welcomed the move.

He also appealed the people to defeat the ruling BJD in the coming elections as during the nine years rule Orissa had became the poorest state in the country.

Mr Jena accused the government of not utilizing the fund sanctioned by the Centre as it did not want the schemes to reach the people.

Listing out the failures of the government, Mr Jena said the BJD-BJP AKJ KP2115 rule was replete with farmers' suicide, break down of law and order, and misrule.

UNI XC-BD RH PC SS2100