BHUBANESWAR : The BJD on Tuesday said the demand for special category state status for Odisha will remain top on its agenda during the upcoming budget session of the Parliament beginning February 1.
After the meeting of the BJD parliamentary party presided over by party president Naveen Patnaik, Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra told mediapersons that the BJP had promised special category state status for Odisha in its election manifesto for 2014 polls but has forgotten it now.
“If Odisha cannot be specified as a special category state for whatever reasons given by the Centre, it should be made a special focus state,” he said.
Patra said the party president has asked the MPs to be a strong voice of Odisha and Odias in the Parliament. “He stressed that the MPs should fight for the rights and dignity of 4.5 crore people of Odisha,” the BJD leader added.
He further informed that the party would raise other pressing issues like high unemployment, joblessness and rising prices of essential commodities that affect the common people. “The party will also demand implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations for doubling farmers’ income,” Patra added.
The BJD MP said the party will demand resolution of the Mahanadi river water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
“Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi had announced that the BJP government will find a solution to the dispute through talks. The chief minister should now announce at what level the negotiations are going on. Besides, the dispute over Polavaram dam project between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha would also be raised,” he added.
The other issues to be raised by the BJD include revision of coal royalty, upgradation and repair of national highways, establishment of full-fledged AIIMS Hospitals in Sambalpur, Koraput and Balasore, demand for including 139 proposals in ST list of Odisha, inclusion of Ho, Mundari, Bhumij, Saora and Kui languages in the 8th schedule of the Constitution and withdrawal of GST on Kendu leaf.