Congress raps Odisha over Nabakalebar festival projects

Bhubaneswar, Feb 8 (IANS) The Congress Sunday rapped the Odisha government over tardy progress in the preparation of Nabakalebar festival.

The festival of Lord Jagannath is scheduled to be held in July in Puri where the government expects a congregation of about 50 lakh devotees.

"It seems that the state government is not serious about the festival. There is no progress in communication facilities and basic amenities for people who throng Puri. No steps have been taken, though the chief minister claims of personally supervising the work," Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan said at a conference here.

Harichandan said the construction of infrastructure projects are going at a snail's pace and could not be completed in time for the festival.

Senior Congress leader Lalatendu Bidyadhar Mohaptara said as no strict timeline is followed for completion, all projects, including sewerage, railway line, foot-overbridge, bus terminal, electrification, are running behind schedule.

Biju Janata Dal spokesperson Samir Das said the government is doing its best to complete all projects before the beginning of grand festival in the state.