BHUBANESWAR: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday stressed on the value of service to Biju Yuva Vahini (BYV) volunteers and urged them to work for the deprived.Addressing the sixth regional conclave of BYV at Baliyatra Ground in Cuttack, the chief minister said, “Service is the greatest religion and it should be the identity of the Odia people .”The BYV is an initiative by the state sports and youth affairs department to promote volunteerism among the youths. Around three lakh youngsters are associated with it.Despite the opposition parties calling BYV a ‘goonda vahini’, the chief minister lauded the contribution of the organization during the cyclonic storm Titli, the Rath Yatra and for its initiatives such as tree plantation, blood donation and sanitation works.“Service brings discipline. Service brings courage, service encourages teamwork, service needs hard work, service needs planning, service requires sacrifice and determination. Service is the greatest religion. Service is passion. There is no substitute for service,” said Naveen.Talking about patriotism and service for the motherland, Naveen said patriotism and love for the nation should be the ideology of today’s generation. “I am happy that you (BYV volunteers) have made service and humanity your religion. I want service to be your identity and the identity of this state,” said Naveen.Before the beginning of the regional conclave, attended by volunteers from the four districts of Cuttack, Dhenkanal, Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapada, the volunteers and dignitaries observed one-minute silence for the martyrs of the Pulwama attack. The cultural programme after the conclave was also cancelled in view of the incident.Initially six regional conclaves had been planned; official sources in the sports and youth affairs department said one more would be organized at Khurda on February 27.The opposition Congress and BJP leaders have criticized the state government for BYV, alleging that the volunteers were being groomed to help the ruling BJD during the elections. They also alleged misuse of the exchequer for the initiative.During the recent visit of Election Commissioner Ashok Lavasa to the state to review preparations for the polls, BJP alleged misuse of public money for BJD’s political gain through these volunteers.The chief minister, during his visit to Cuttack, also inaugurated development projects worth Rs 270 crore that included road-widening projects, piped water supply projects and community health centre.

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