CM Naveen Patnaik at the BJD headquarters to celebrate the party’s foundation day in Bhubaneswar

BHUBANESWAR

26 December 2018 23:13 IST

I will use State’s money for development of its people, says the CM

Launching a scathing attack on the Centre, Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday demanded financial autonomy for Odisha to transform it into a prosperous State.

Recalling late Biju Patnaik’s demand for fiscal autonomy for the State, Mr. Patnaik said that “Biju Babu had rightly sought financial autonomy to transform Odisha into the most advanced State in South Asia”.

“Give me financial autonomy. I don’t need special State category status or any funding or assistance from the Centre. I need financial autonomy. I will use Odisha’s money for development of its people,” said the Chief Minister.

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Addressing a gathering at the BJD headquarters on the occasion of the party’s 21st foundation day, Mr. Patnaik said that be it Congress or BJP, no national party had any concern for Odisha.

“We all are experiencing this. They will come when elections are round the corner. They will talk big and lay foundation stones and thereafter they won’t be seen,” Mr. Patnaik added.

Stating that they believe in work but not promises, Mr. Patnaik said that is how BJD had become a movement. “The movement is for the right and dignity of the people of Odisha and it will continue in the times to come.”

Stating that people’s support for regional parties was growing across the country, Mr. Patnaik sarcastically listed the “success” of the Central government in various fields during the past four and a half years by citing as many as nine points.

Mr. Patnaik highlighted the “pathetic condition” of national highways in the State narrating the condition of the NH between Sambalpur and Cuttack and Baripada and Deogarh. The coastal highway project remains confined to announcement in the last four and a half years, he said.

He mocked the performance of BSNL stating that while the network was always busy in cities there was no network in half of the villages of the State. “One has to climb trees or go atop a building to use the mobile phone,” he said.

Coal royalty

Mr. Patnaik also slammed the Centre over the issue of coal royalty stating that the royalty was not hiked since 2015 though it would take five minutes to decide.