BJD Cites EAC-PM Report On Odisha’s Economic Growth To Counter BJP’s Criticism

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday said the ruling BJP should take a leaf from the economic policy of former chief minister Naveen Patnaik to ensure development of Odisha instead of changing the names of welfare schemes and programmes.

Speaking at a press conference in Bhubaneswar, BJD’s national spokesman Santrupt Mishra said Odisha has made substantial economic progress between 2000 and 2024 as highlighted in the recent Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) Working Paper.

Quoting the report, he said the state’s relative per-capita income witnessed a significant rise from 55.8% in 2000-01 to 88.5% in 2023-24. In real terms, the per capita income has increased from Rs 10,211 in 2000 to Rs 1,61,437 in 2024. It reflected the sound economic policy of the BJD government during the period, he added.

“Odisha also made significant contribution to the country’s GDP compared to other states during the period, the report mentioned. The state’s share in the national GDP grew from 2.3% in 2000-01 FY to 2.8% in 2023-24 FY,” Mishra said.

In comparison to Odisha, Punjab’s contribution to national GDP during the period came down from 3.9% to 2.4%, Maharashtra from 14% to 13.3%, Delhi 3.7% to 3.6%, West Bengal 8.2% to 5.6% and Uttar Pradesh from 10.9% to 9.5%, said Mishra.

“When Naveen Patnaik assumed power in 2000, the state’s economy was in bankrupt condition. The state had taken around Rs 144 crore as overdraft from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). As the RBI denied to further give credit, the state government could not pay the salary of its employees also,” the BJD leader said.

He further said the visionary policy of Naveen made a turnaround in the state economy as its revenue deficit of Rs 18,000 crore improved to revenue surplus of Rs 48,000 crore in 2024.

Stating that the state has made substantial strides in other economic parameters also, he said its GDP has increased from Rs 46,756 to Rs 8.3 lakh, while population under below poverty line has come down from 70% to 10%. Besides, paddy production, fish production, egg production and exports have also increased significantly, he added.

“Considering that the data was mentioned in a Central government agency’s report, the state BJP should take a serious note of it. Instead of criticising the former BJD government for not taking any steps for the state’s economic progress, the saffron party should desist from making token changes in policies and programmes and focus on furthering the existing ones for further development of Odisha,” he said.