Bhubaneswar: Naveen Patnaik, on Wednesday called for financial autonomy for Odisha by virtue of which, Mr Patnaik claims, the state can develop and prosper by itself. “We don’t need any grant or special status.” said the Chief Minister.
‘Financial Autonomy for Odisha’ that, at a time happened to be a vocal demand of the late Odisha Cheief Minister Biju Patnaik echoed in his son Naveen’s voice on 26th December on the foundation day of Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
He said, “Biju Babu had said, ‘give me financial autonomy. I will build Odisha an advance state in the South Asia.’ I agree with him. We will do development with the money of people of Odisha. No need of central grant, central plan.”
He said that railways is getting Rs 20,000 crore annually from Odisha but is spending only Rs 2000crore. Under Clean Energy Cess, he said, Center earned Rs 21,000crore but people of Odisha got a naught and added that revision of coal royalty has not been done since 2015.
He slammed the Central Governments of both NDA and UPA with charges of neglecting the interest of Odisha during his address to the party workers on the 21st foundation day of BJD here in Bhubaneswar.
Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan countered the claims of the CM by saying that the state government is quite incompetent in utilizing the provided central funds; thousands of crores of Rupees in the (District Mineral Fund) DMFs are lying idle; in railway sector in Odisha, the state government has failed in discharging its own share of responsibility in providing land for projects.
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