MCL pulls out of ‘Aahar’ Scheme in Odisha, BJD Protests

The much ambitious ‘Aahar’ scheme, which seeks to provide Rice and Dalma at Rs 5 to 4,000 people each in five cities of Odisha – Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Berhampur, is in jeopardy, after the Mahanadi Coalfield Limited (MCL) pulled out of the initiative.

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MLAs protested inside the Odisha Assembly against the decision and even sat on a dharna near the Gandhi Statue inside the Assembly premises. They alleged that central PSUs are adopting a step-motherly attitude towards Odisha and its people.

The Odisha Government had roped in three central PSUs – NALCO, MCL and Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) and asked them to provide funds for the implementation of Aahar project. Just a few days ago, the Odisha BJP had slammed the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government for using central PSUs and companies to initiate their own schemes to gain political mileage.