TNI Bureau: Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the Odisha Assembly and BJP’s Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik claiming that he received a sponsored award yesterday.

At a time when discussions on major issues of the State like the budget, law and order, education health, agriculture and border disputes is going on in the State, the Chief Minister went to Mumbai to receive a sponsored award, alleged Mishra saying that it is not a good sign for the democracy.

Addressing a press conference at his residence in Bhubaneswar today, the safron leader alleged that Naveen Patnaik has become the Chief Minister for five consecutive time but as per the report of the Home Department, which he heads, as many as 1379 murder and 3184 rape cases have been registered accross the State. In fact it is a matter of great concern, he said.

Mishra further said that the conditions of the mothers and children are not good in the State alleging that a report says that 19 percent newdonpato babies are suffering from low birth weight while 31 percent babies are suffering from malnutrition.

Likewise, the State has 18 percent of childhood stunting low height for age and more than 60 percent infants and pregnant women are suffering from iron deficiency in Odisha, Mishra alleged.

The conditions of the health and education sectors of Odisha is the same, the Sambal MLA claimed.

As per the affidavit filed by the State government at the Orissa High Court in 2022, over 44 percent posts of the doctors is lying vacant in Odisha, he said adding that while the exams of the students are at hand, the teachers are on the street only because of the wrong educational policy of Odisha Government.

Moreover, the State government is not taking any steps to solve the border disputes with the neighbouring states and address the problems of the farmers.