India, Jan. 30 -- The political climate in Odisha heated following the State government's introduction of new guidelines under the 'Bikashita Gaon Bikashita Odisha' initiative aimed at enhancing rural development, on Thursday.

Controversy centres on the extent to which these guidelines are a rebranding exercise following the recent change in government. Biju Janata Dal (BJD) contended that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government should focus on new initiatives rather than simply renaming programmes of the past government.

"Already there is a yojana meant for the development of rural Odisha. This new yojana could have been implemented under the existing one. Changing the name of the scheme, because the government has changed, is ...