Odisha LoP Naveen Patnaik.
| Photo Credit: PTI

The Biju Janata Dal has lashed out at the Narendra Modi government accusing that Odisha’s demand for special category State status has been overlooked in the Union Budget while crores of funds have been allocated for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.

Reacting to the Budget, former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, “BJP had put special category status in their manifesto as a promise to the people of Odisha. However, this promise has not been considered for Odisha, whereas special packages, allocating crores of funds have been announced for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.”

“Along with this, the demand of Odisha for revision of coal royalty, which has been pending for years with the central government, has been rejected, because of which the State will lose thousands of crores of revenue every year,” Mr. Patnaik charged, terming the Budget disappointing.

In sync with the party’s stand, all the BJD MPs in Rajya Sabha walked out of House when the Union Budget was being laid.

“Before Walking out, the BJD MPs strongly said in the House that they were walking out due to the denial of Special Category State status to Odisha. While Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar had been asking for the special category, the two states got Special additional funds while Odisha’s demand was not considered,” said BJD MP and party spokesperson Sasmit Patra.

He sarcastically said probably this was the punishment meted out to Odisha for electing 20 Lok Sabha BJP MPs out of 21 MPs from Odisha.

“Lots of big promises in different sectors were made to the people of Odisha during the election campaign especially on agriculture , MSME and industry. There is no mention of any promise being fulfilled in this Budget. This is a complete neglect of Odisha and her people,” the BJD supremo maintained.

Mr. Patnaik further said, “We all know that Odisha faces a number of natural disasters every year, including floods. We had requested for a special package for disaster management. While similar requests of other States have been considered and they have been granted special packages for flood protection, the genuine demand of Odisha on disaster management has not been considered.”

The former CM pointed out, “we have been fighting for Justice in the Polavaram issue. Allocating more and more funds for Polavaram without sorting out the genuine grievances of Odisha shows impartiality against Odisha.”

On the expected line, the State unit of Bharatiya Janata Party welcomed the budget saying it was progressive and aimed at achieving goal of Vikshit Bharat.

Deputy Chief Minister K.V. Singh Deo said, “When a 24-year-old government did not take any step to improve the tourism sector, the Central government’s specific announcement for Odisha’s tourism development should be welcomed. It will generate employment.”

“Whatever special assistance is required for Odisha has been granted through different infrastructure projects and national programmes. Odisha has got more than its due share,” Mr. Singh Deo said. The State government would take up the issue of submergence of localities in its Malkangiri district due to Polavaram project of Andhra Pradesh, he said.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on June 30 said new railway projects worth ₹1 lakh crore will be implemented in Odisha in the next five years.

Mr. Vaishnaw said this while addressing a felicitation programme organised by Odisha BJP in Bhubaneswar to felicitate the party’s 20 MPs and 78 MLAs elected in recently held Lok Sabha elections and Assembly elections in Odisha.

“The Congress government and the then Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government have neglected the development of the railway sector in Odisha. So, with the formation of a double-engine government of the BJP in Odisha and Centre, now, the gap created during the past years, will be met by creating a new record in these five years,” he said.

“Though many mega railway projects have been sanctioned, those were delayed due to delay in land acquisition by the previous BJD government,” said Mr. Vaishnaw, adding, “Now double engine government is formed and the pace of the railway projects will be accelerated.”

The Union Minister said the allocation to Odisha in the Railway Budget has been enhanced from ₹800 crore during the UPA government tenure to more than ₹10,000 crore during Modi government.

“During the past three consecutive years, more than ₹10,000 crore has been allocated to the State in the railway sector,” he said.

Mr. Vaishnaw further said a new railway line of 1,826 km was constructed in Odisha during the last 10 years, which is higher than the total railway network of Sri Lanka (1,700 km). He also said that 315 special trains will run to and from Puri during the Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath for smooth travel and convenience of the pilgrims. “Last year, 222 trains were run during the Rath Yatra. The special trains have been planned from 25 districts of Odisha,” he added.

Mr. Vaishnaw, who is also the IT Minister, said that an electronic manufacturing cluster and a semi-conductor training centre will be set up in Odisha.

Congratulating the newly elected MLAs and MPs, he expressed confidence that the BJP government will continue to serve the people of Odisha for the next 50 years. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and two Deputy Chief Ministers K. V. Singh Deo and Pravati Parida are like Lord Jagannath and his siblings Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra who have been given a big responsibility for the development of the State.

A lot of first-time MLAs and MPs have been elected in this election and the State for the first time has CM and Deputy CMs belonging to the BJP. With this team, a new Odisha will be built which will help in building a ‘Viksit Bharat’, Mr. Pradhan said.

Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram advised the BJP MLAs and MPs to have a mindset of ‘nation first, party second and self last’.

Mr. Oram said the BJP has helped the BJD to form a government in the State to end the Congress government. “But, they became “arrogant and became worse” like the Congress government. So, people have elected the BJP government,” he said.