Naveen demands financial autonomy for Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Dec 26:  Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday demanded financial autonomy for Odisha after which the state would not need special category status or central grants.

          Financial autonomy would help the state develop and prosper with its own funds. Legendry Odisha leader Biju Patnaik had made a plea for fiscal autonomy for the state in the early 90s, the chief minister said  while addressing the 21st foundation day of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) here.

          The chief minister also accused the Centre of neglecting the state “in all spheres”.

           Recalling legendary Biju Patnaik’s plea for fiscal autonomy for the state, the BJD president said Biju Babu had rightly said that he would transform Odisha into the most advanced state in south Asia with financial autonomy.

          He hit out at the Centre for “extracting huge benefits from Odisha but giving nothing in return for the state’s development”.

          He said the national political parties appear before the people only at the time of election and disappear after making false promises.

          Criticising the Centre for its performance in the telecommunication sector, the chief minister said though BSNL boasts about its vast presence, people in both rural and urban Odisha have to “climb trees and high-rise structures to catch the network”.

          Referring to Railways, Patnaik said though the state has provided free land and borne half the cost of major rail projects, the Khurda-Balangir rail line still remains incomplete.

          Stating that the condition of national highways was pathetic, he said the coastal highway project remains confined to announcement in the last four-and-a-half years.

           Slamming the Centre over the issue of coal royalty, Naveen Patnaik said there has been no revision in coal royalty.

           Though it was highly publicised that Odisha would gain over Rs 70,000 crore from coal mine auction, the entire campaign turned out to be hollow as the state got only Rs 370 crore from the process.

           While Railways get Rs 20,000 crore from the state annually, there is no concrete step to expand rail network in the state and provide quality services.

           Noting that the people, particularly farmers, had to suffer a lot due to demonetisation and lack of banking facilities in rural areas, Naveen Patnaik said farmers are unable to get compensation crop insurance in time, while private insurance companies are harassing them.

           Accusing the BJP-led government of failing to keep the promises in 2014 election manifesto, the BJD leader said the promise to grant special category status to Odisha, hike MSP for paddy by one and half time of input cost and 33 per cent reservation for women remained “only in words”.

           The Centre halted grant for development of tribal areas, scheduled caste people, he said adding stipend for SC and ST students were not given in the last two years.

          Terming the much trumpeted ‘Ujjwala Yojana’ as a failure, the BJD president said poor families were unable to go for refilling due to high cost of LPG cylinders.