Naveen Reiterates Demand For Special Category Status In Letter To Modi

Bhubaneswar: Ahead of the polls to the state assembly and Lok Sabha, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has once again raised the issue of according special category status to the State. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday, he requested him to grant of the status which will supplement the efforts to transform the state, spur industrial development and create jobs.

“Kindly consider Odisha’s request as a unique one and support us in the fast pace, inclusive development of Odisha,” Naveen said in his letter to the PM. He said the premise of the state’s demand is the “historical central neglect” and frequent natural calamities that have held back the state’s development.

Odisha, he said, has remained at the bottom of the country, be it in tele density, railway network, banking network coverage or the coverage of national highways and air connectivity due to the central neglect.

Naveen had put the demand for special category status before the 15th Finance Commission as well when senior officials of the commission visited Bhubaneswar last week.

While making a strong case for Odisha, the CM also pointed out the achievements it has achieved despite financial constraints, frequent floods and cyclones. Odisha, he said, has made steady progress on socio-economic development front. The State’s GDP has increased by 50 per cent during the last six years and poverty has declined by 24.61 per cent from 2004-05 to 2011-12, the highest reduction among major states.

The state has launched its own food security and health security schemes and the MAMATA scheme has benefitted more than 31 lakh women for child birth, he said, presenting a veritable report card of his government’s achievement since coming to power in 2000.

He said about 20 lakh houses have been completed under various rural housing schemes since the 2014-15 financial year. Six districts were awarded for outstanding achievement in implementing PMAY in 2016-17 and received three awards under PMGSY for 2017-18.

The electricity consumer base has also increased from 16 lakh in 2000 to 72 lakh and the state is on the course to surpass 10 lakh hectors under irrigation that the state government had set a target for itself, he said.