BJD reiterates its demand for special category status for Odisha ahead of central budget
The Hindu
BJD demands special category status for Odisha, highlighting unfulfilled promises and economic distress in the region.
The Biju Janata Dal on Thursday (January 30, 2025) reiterated its demand for special category status for Odisha, calling it a just and rightful claim.
“In its 2014 election manifesto, the BJP pledged to grant Odisha special category status upon coming to power. However, that promise has now been forgotten. With the BJP governing both at the Centre and in the State—what they call a “double-engine government”—what’s stopping them from fulfilling this commitment?,” asked BJD Rajya Sabha Member Sasmit Patra ahead of Budget Session of Parliament.
Also Read | Budget 2024: BJD flays Centre, says Odisha’s ‘special status’ demand ignored
Mr. Patra said the BJD would intensify its demand for the special category status for Odisha inside Parliament and outside.
BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik had also asked the party’s Rajya Sabha MPs to raise the issue stating that if Odisha had been given special category State status then the State could have given more funds to the farmers who lost their crops to unseasonal rains a few days back.
“The State has been facing natural disasters and needs to be accorded special category State. If for whatever reasons you cannot specify it as a Special Category State, then you could use the nomenclature of Special Focus State, but do not deprive the people of Odisha from their rightful demand for a special category State,” the regional party said while putting forth issues.
Mr. Patra said the party would also raise the issue food inflation and economic distress of people.
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