By: BAIJAYANT PANDA
The demand for Special
Category State status for Odisha was first voiced in 1979. It has been
reiterated many times since: Both the 10th and the 11th Odisha Legislative
Assemblies adopted unanimous resolutions on the subject.
The demand has been intensified since the Biju Janata Dal
(BJD) came to power under the
1) On several occasions, the State Assembly has passed
unanimous resolutions, which means that all parties in the State are together
on the issue.
2) Odisha should qualify as a Special Category State even
under the current criteria. However, the Centre has been engaging in
discrimination and playing politics.
3) Several States such as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh
have per capita incomes higher than Odisha (and even the national average), and
yet have been accorded Special Category status.
4) Other examples of discrimination include the low
allocation to Odisha in the Railway Budget and the low rates of royalty on
minerals that prevent Odisha from raising revenue from mining activities in the
State.
5) Odisha has a large tribal population and a hilly terrain
and low levels of infrastructure such as railways.
6) The large poor population restricts the State’s ability
to raise revenue and affects the utilisation of Centrally-sponsored schemes.
Most of the schemes require the State to share some parts of the expenses,
usually 25 per cent to 35 per cent. For poorer States such as Odisha, it is
difficult to afford these expenses.
7) For faster development, it is important that Odisha be
granted the Special State status. The BJD demands this as Odisha's genuine
right.
(Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda is a senior BJD leader and Lok Sabha
member from Kendrapada)
2 comments in THE PIONEER
o
When
Chhatisgarh with similar conditions can grow without being a special category
state, why cant Odisha ? After ruling for 15 years, if you say Odisha is poor,
you should be blamed for that.
2.
Your argument no 6 is foolish. Large population is not a problem,, the problem
is doleouts that your Govt is giving without any valid reason. Distributing
money for blankets every year, distributing cycles etc has made Odisha behind
other states in the field of infrastructures. Other wise this money can be
spent for providing drinking water or health facility to the far most tribal
areas.
3.
At the end of the day, with the high drama at Delhi what benefit did Odisha get
?? Nothing.. If you wanted to convince the people of Odisha that your Govt is
working for Odisha, well for that you got the mandate, your Govt should not be
spent these amount further. If you want to be B team of Congress, it will be
disaster for Odisha as well as India, because they are looting India since last
60 years, and people of Odisha are in no mood to allow them to loot further.
So, what is the gain ??
·
o If
Odisha is still poor, then what u and YOUR GOVT. did during the last 15 years of rule in Odisha Mr. Panda? the rally in Delhi is nothing more-than a political drama to cover-up the massive scams of the BJD government and by the BJD ministers.
In
Chit-fund scam several ministers and the CM Naveen Patnaik himself was involved. Why not the Govt. still ordered for a CBI prove?
What
your govt. did during the last 15 years for the development of South Odisha and Western Odisha, where even in the cities like Berhampur people are not getting the basic facilities like drinking water and good roads?
why
BJD govt. established every institution sanctioned by the Center in
Bhubaneswar, If it is impartial ?
Do
u still think Odisha is Bhubaneswar and Bhubaneswar is Odisha?
if
u r not capable why not u have learned the art of equal development from Gujarat?
For
the insensitivity of your government the entire is state a languishing in poverty and under-development. And
to cover up every mess u have created this Dharana and rally are a new way outs.
But Mr. Panda I hope the
people of Odisa are not fools and will give fitting reply this time to your govt.. SOURCE: THE PIONEER
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