BJD Readies ‘Demands’ Ammunition For Parliament’s Winter Session; Know Here

Bhubaneswar: National Heritage Festival tag to Cuttack Bali Jatra and a direct flight between Bhubaneswar and Dubai are among the 10 demands that BJD would raise during winter session of Parliament, beginning Monday.

Addressing mediapersons here on Sunday, BJD National Spokesperson Sasmit Patra said the party had listed out some issues keeping Odisha’s interests in mind.

The party will also take up CBSE’s examination fee hike and Polavaram project, besides sanction of pending amount under the Awas scheme to Odisha, he added.

The Demands:

1. Increasing banking and telecommunication coverage in Odisha
2. Expansion of National Highways in the state
3. Introduction and passing of Women’s Reservation Bill;
4. Inclusion of at least two tourist places of Odisha in the Iconic Tourist Sites
5. A Bhubaneswar-Dubai direct international flight
6. Recognition of Bali Jatra as National Maritime Heritage Festival;
7. Income Tax exemption for District Mineral Fund;
8. Polavaram project work to be stopped and reformulated as per Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal

9. Pending PDS subsidy of Rs. 2123 crore (2017-18) and Rs. 1345 crore (2018- September 2019) which the Centre needs to transfer to Odisha

10. Under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, contingency fund amounting to Rs.202 crore and Rs. 818 crore towards 1st Tranche are pending. Inclusion of beneficiaries in Fani and non-Fani districts of Odisha under this scheme and activities for identification and geo-tagging would be taken up

Earlier in the day, an all-party meeting chaired by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi was held on Parliament premises. Representatives of different political parties were present in the meeting to discuss ways for smooth conduct of the proceedings.

Parliament’s winter session will conclude on December 31.