Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik asks BJD youths to be tech-savvy; pushes for grassroots level committees

Bhubaneswar: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday asked the youth wing of his party to become tech-savvy and more active in social media to connect with the people.

“Technology has become a game changer. Therefore, you must become tech-savvy and more active in social media. It will enable you to connect effectively with the people and help them,” the ruling BJD president said at a meeting of the Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD), the youth brigade of the party.

Stating that some people and groups are trying to spread disinformation, Patnaik asked the party’s youth brigade to counter such campaign and tell the truth to the people.

Describing Odisha as a model state in social welfare, he said party workers, particularly the youth, should work sincerely at the grassroots level to ensure that no genuine beneficiary was deprived of the benefits of the social security.

He said with a focus on creating more job opportunities and facilitating self-employment, the government was aiming at creating 30 lakh jobs by 2025.

He said five lakh job opportunities were created and 50,000 of them in government sector during the last three years. The thrust of the state’s industrial, MSME and start-up policies was also on job creation.

Describing education as true empowerment, Patnaik said a youth policy had been formulated for engaging them in the state’s development and progress. The state government had also decided to provide education loan at only one per cent interest to students for higher education.

Stating that youths are playing a major role in BJD’s success, Patnaik said the party should be strengthened further at the grassroots level for which district committee would be formed in the next 15 days, constituency and block level committees in 30 days and panchayat-level committees in 45 days.

BJD general secretary Sanjay Dasburma said the instructions given by the party president would be put into action. There would be increased use of the media and IT cell, he said.