BJP govt trying to stop Mission Shakti staff salary: Naveen

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly on Tuesday witnessed a noisy scene as Opposition BJD and Congress members held protests inside the House over alleged non-payment of salaries to around 60,000 women supporting staffers under the ‘Mission Shakti’ scheme. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik accused the BJP government of “conspiring to stop” salaries of the ‘Mission Shakti’ staff.

As soon as the Question Hour began, the BJD and Congress members trooped to the well of the House and demanded immediate release of salaries of around 60,000 women supporting staff working under the ‘Mission Shakti’ scheme. The women staffers of the ‘Mission Shakti’ have been demonstrating near the Assembly since Monday, alleging that they have not received salaries for the last six months. They spent the night under open sky and unseasonal rain, the Opposition members claimed. Notably, the protest venue was close to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s official residence.

The Congress joined the BJD’s protest but also held the previous Naveen Patnaik government responsible for the plight of women staffers. Patnaik, who was present in the House, alleged, “The BJP government is conspiring to stop the salaries of the ‘Mission Shakti’ staffers. I strongly condemn this. There are more than 70 lakh women members under the ‘Misson Shakti’ scheme.” Patnaik also said his party has all along supported the ‘Mission Shakti’ women and will continue to do so.

Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, who is also in charge of the Women and Child Welfare and Mission Shakti department, said the agitating women should not be misguided by anyone. “The issue has been discussed in the Assembly. The State government will take appropriate decisions keeping in view the interest of women,” Parida said outside the Assembly.

Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik, while leading the BJD MLAs in the protest inside the House, said, “These people (BJP) claim that they respect women. However, more than 50,000 women had to spend the night under the open sky in cold and rain demanding their remuneration from the government.”

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam attacked both the BJD and the BJP over the non-payment of salaries to 60,000 ‘Mission Shakti’ staff. He blamed the BJD for “not renewing the service period of the 60,000 ‘Mission Shakti’ women staffers, whose service tenure ended in April 2024.

“You (BJD) were in government and should have renewed their service,” Kadam said, asking the present BJP dispensation to immediately release the salaries of ‘Mission Shakti’ staffers. Congress member Sofia Firdous alleged that the BJD used the ‘Mission Shakti’ members for political purposes, instead of empowering them. “They (BJD) paid a price for neglecting women, now you (BJP) are also making the same mistake,” Sofia said.

Senior BJD member and former minister Ranendra Pratap Swain accused the BJP government of “cheating the women” in the name of ‘Subhadra Yojana’. “How can a woman become an entrepreneur with the assistance of just Rs 27 per day,” Swain asked.

The BJP members Tankadhar Tripathy, Om Prakash Mishra and Upasana Mohapatra, however, defended the government and blamed the BJD for alleged non-payment of salaries to supporting staff of the ‘Mission Shakti’ scheme.

As the din continued in the well of the House, Speaker Surama Padhy said she had not received the notice for a discussion through motion on the issue of non-payment of salaries to 60,000 ‘Mission Shakti’ women supporting staff.“You (Opposition) were allowed to speak on the subject on Monday during Zero Hour. I request all of you to return to your seats and cooperate with me to run the House,” the Speaker said. Unable to run the House, Padhy adjourned the proceedings till 11.30 am. Later, the proceedings resumed when the House reassembled at 11.30 am.