Bhubaneswar, Jan 14 (PTI) Union Minister DharmendraPradhan today urged Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik toreconsider his government's decision of opting out of theCentre's scheme to develop backward districts.
In a letter to Patnaik, Pradhan said the eightdistricts of Rayagada, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Gajapati,Dhenkanal, Bolangir, Koraput and Malkangiri should be includedin the list of 115 backward districts of the country.
"Odisha of the 21st century should be built as apioneering state by rising above political considerations,"the Union Petroleum Minister said.
Political differences should not come in the way ofefforts aimed at development and welfare of common people,youths, women, Dalits, backward communities and tribals, theBJP leader, who hails from Odisha's Angul district, said.
The Union Minister also sent a video link of PrimeMinister Narendra Modi's interaction with the collectors andofficers-in-charge of the other backward districts andrequested the chief minister to watch it.
The Prime Minister is of the view that the dream of adeveloped India cannot become a reality without developing theeastern region of the country, he said, adding that Odisha hasa prominent role in this vision.
"Therefore, we should start this mass movement in2018. It is our responsibility and duty to build a new Indiaand a new Odisha by 2022," he said in the letter.
Pradhan also sent a similar letter to Odisha ChiefSecretary A P Padhi and requested him to forward the videolink of the PM's address to the collectors of all districtsand senior officers.
The BJD, in its response, said the state governmentwill consider Pradhan's suggestions.
Pradhan is a Union minister and his suggestion will beexamined by the state government, BJD spokesperson SasmitPatra.
The Odisha government had recently opposed theCentre's action of appointing IAS officers as Prabhari(in-charge) officers in eight most-backward districts of thestate for addressing the developmental needs of the peoplethere. PTI SKNRMS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.