BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday reiterated the long-standing demanded for special category State (SCS) status for Odisha. In a meeting with vice-chairman of Niti Aayog Suman Bery and member VK Paul at Naveen Nivas here, the CM said the SCS status is important for Odisha which faces natural disasters like cyclones and floods every year resulting in massive damage to infrastructure.
The CM also highlighted demands related to railways, telecom and banking in rural areas. Stating that many panchayats in Odisha do not have banking facility, he said there are areas in the State without tele-connectivity. A detailed report highlighting these demands will be submitted to the Niti Aayog soon.
The vice-chairman invited the CM to the seventh general council meeting of Niti Aayog to be held at New Delhi on August 7.
A team from the Niti Aayog is on an official visit to the State. The team members including Bery, Paul and officials visited the World Skill Centre at Bhubaneswar, an enterprise run by women, a community health centre, a 5T transformed school and wellness centre at Pipili.
The vice-chairman held a review meeting which was attended by Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra, Development Commissioner PK Jena and other senior officials. A presentation was made on behalf of the State government on the achievements made in different fields, various developmental issues and challenges.