BHUBANESWAR: Ahead of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Bargarh on February 21 to address a farmers rally, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has mounted a scathing attack on the Centre over its decision to cut Rs.214.48 crore drought assistance it had announced for Odisha.
BJD spokesperson and former minister Pratap Keshari Deb said the union home ministry has informed the state government in a letter on January 22, 2016 that it will adjust Rs.214.48 crore from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) out of the Rs.815 crore drought assistance announced by it last year. The Centre will provide drought assistance of Rs.600.52 crore.
Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) PK Mohapatra said that the state government had already written a protest letter and requested the Centre to restore the full drought assistance announced by it earlier.
The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) also criticised the Centre for its decision to slash drought assistance announced for the State.