State’s hunger picture gloomier than NSSO report: Srikant

-- Politics over NSSO’s hunger report--

BHUBANESWAR: “The hunger picture of the State is gloomier than the actual report given by the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO),” said Union Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation Srikant Kumar Jena here on Sunday reacting over the State Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Pratap Keshari Deb’s statement on the recent report.

On Saturday, the State Government rubbished the 66th report of the NSSO that Odisha is second from the bottom after West Bengal as far as hungry population is concerned. Minister Deb smelled a rat in the report and alleged that a pure political game being played by Jena, the Minister of the concerned department which produced the report. “Ahead of 2014 election it is a trick to defame the BJD Government,” Deb added.

During the debate in the Assembly over the report, Deb had told that the Economic Advisory Council in Prime Minister’s office and the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission had also questioned the sample survey report and observed that the NSSO data does not reveal what is exactly happening, the Minister pointed out.  

Following the allegation made by Deb, Union Minister Jena said that he never interfere in the report prepared by the NSSO. Though he is the head of the Ministry which prepares the report, but it is the study of a Government organisation, he added.

“It is very pitiable thing that most of the people in rural Odisha are not getting proper food. Out of 84 lakh families in the State, 60 lakh families are coming under below poverty line,” said Jena, adding, “I forgave Deb for his statement, but I feel pity that State Government’s apathetic attitude towards the poor people.”