Opposition criticises Naveen’s announcement

Odisha Channel Bureau Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today announced that his government will start preparing a vision document – Odisha@100 – next year to ensure holistic development of the state by 2036.“An advanced and empowered Odisha is our objective,” said Patnaik, while addressing a meeting organised to celebrate the 18th foundation day of the Biju Janata Dal here.Patnaik said the preparation of the vision document to commemorate the creation of Odisha as a separate State in 1936 will coincide with the year-long celebrations to mark the birth centenary of the late Biju Patnaik starting from March 5, 2016.In his habitual style, Patnaik also blamed the Central government for neglecting Odisha’s interests.Meanwhile, Patnaik’s announcement about the preparation of Odisha@100 vision document was criticised opposition Congress and BJP. Stating that the BJD government had prepared many vision documents and made many false promises since it came to power in 2000, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said Patnaik’s announcement was aimed at hoodwinking people and gaining political mileage.The BJD government has failed to create any vision document so far, and the BJD will cease to exist by 2026, said K.V.Singh Deo, president of Odisha BJP.The BJD has been alleging Central neglect to hide the failures of its government over the past 15 years, Singh Deo added.