Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], December 9 (ANI): Former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief Naveen Patnaik has come down heavily on the Mohan Charan Majhi government, accusing it of not incurring any expenditure on development for the people.

Speaking to reporters here, Patnaik, who has served as Odisha CM for 24 years, said that the BJP government in the state remains 'totally neglectful' in this regard.

'I'm sad to say it's not my remark alone. Many people in our state say the state government is not making any expenditures for people's development. This is a very sad thing to report. Time and again, this has been brought to the attention of the state government that there must be some expenditure for the development of the people of this state, but they seem to be totally neglectful about this,' the Odisha Leader of Opposition (LoP) said.

'Everyone is suffering. It's like they're playing on empty vessels. And we all know that empty vessels make a good sound, and that's what they're satisfied by,' he added.

Following the inauguration of the Global Energy Leaders' Summit-2025 in the pilgrim city of Puri on Saturday, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi said that the state government was working towards the goal of net zero emissions in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call.

Speaking to reporters, CM Mohan Charan Majhi said, 'Today, the Global Energy Leaders Summit is being organised here. The Summit focuses on how we can move ahead in renewable energy. We are working towards the goal of net zero emissions in response to the Prime Minister's call. We are preparing a roadmap for this. We are working to empower the country in the energy sector. We are building a plant for coal gasification. This will be the first plant in the country. We are working on how to move forward with green energy and renewable energy, and this summit will discuss this over two days.'

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi said that Odisha is rapidly emerging as a significant renewable energy hub.

Meanwhile, the Odisha government on Monday evening suspended internet and social media services for 24 hours in Malkangiri district after violent clashes erupted between two villages following the recovery of a headless body in the area.

According to an official notification issued by the Home Department, the situation escalated rapidly as 'anti-social elements' used platforms such as WhatsApp, Facebook, and X to spread provocative and inflammatory messages, creating a threat to public order. (ANI)