BJP Promises Self Help Groups For Men, Abolish PC Culture In Panchayats

The three-tier panchayat polls in the state will be held in five phases from February 16 to February 24.

Updated on: 28 January 2022 5:48 am

BJP Promises Self Help Groups For Men, Abolish PC Culture In Panchayats

The BJP Thursday released its manifesto for the Odisha Panchayat polls and promised that if the party wins then it will abolish 'percentage commission' (PC) culture at the village level, empower sarpanches and create Men Self Help Groups (MSHG). The three-tier panchayat polls in the state will be held in five phases from February 16 to February 24.

BJP state president Samir Mohanty in presence of other senior leaders released the manifesto. The BJP manifesto promised not to allow corrupt officials and leaders to extort bribe from the beneficiaries under the PMAY and Swachh Bharat schemes.

"The party also promised to create Men Self Help Groups (MSHG) community which will be constituted in line with the Women Self Help Groups (WSHGs), and equal facilities will be provided to the unemployed men as well," Mohanty said. This apart, the saffron party also promised that the Women Self Help Groups will be empowered by providing vocational training to its members and making marketing facilities for smooth sale of products.

The party also promised to end the centralized token system for paddy procurement for farmers who are struggling to sale their paddy in mandis. “We will also end the Dalal Raj (middlemen) in mandis and promised to curtail the monopoly of millers in the interest of farmers. The party also said that it will be custodian of the funds which the Centre sends to Odisha and will not allow it to fall in hand of corrupt persons.

The BJP manifesto also assured to ensure that liquor shops will not be allowed within 500 metres of schools, religious places, colleges, residential areas and highways. Ruling Biju Janata Dal vice-president Devi Prasad Mishra ridiculed the BJP’s manifesto and said: “They can make promises, but do not know how to fulfil it. The BJP had promised to accord special category state status to Odisha. Have they done it?”

With PTI Inputs