BHUBANESWAR: Notwithstanding differences between the BJP and BJD over several political issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday praised Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik for being on the forefront of reforms in all sectors undertaken by the Centre.
In his reply to the motion of thanks on President’s address in Rajya Sabha, Modi said, “I congratulate Odisha Chief Minister for working shoulder to shoulder with the Centre in implementing all reforms in the mining and coal sectors.”
Citing best examples of cooperative federalism, the Prime Minister said, “There was a time when our natural resources were used to fill up the treasury of some people in the country. We have seen those days and the issue was part of a larger debate too. With reforms brought by the BJP in coal and mines, now the natural resources are boosting the economy of states.”
He said that the BJP government in 2000 had initiated mining reforms and mines were auctioned in a transparent manner. “The reforms in the mining sector have led to significant increase in revenue from Rs 14,000 crore to Rs 35,000 crore and whatever revenue was generated from auction went directly to the states,” he added.
Other benefits of the reforms include transfer of valid licence without any charge, sale of 50 per cent annual output minerals in the open market and 50 per cent rebate on early operationalisation of mines. “This is cooperative federalism and Odisha is the first State to have introduced the reforms. Therefore, I congratulate the Odisha Chief Minister for his government working shoulder to shoulder with the Centre,” the Prime Minister said.
In 2019, Modi had also lauded Naveen and his government for the disaster mitigation efforts during cyclone Fani. Naveen was also the only Opposition Chief Minister who had extended full support to the idea of ‘One Nation, One Election’ saying that frequent polls affect the pace of development and also rock the spirit of cooperative federalism.
The BJD has been supporting the Narendra Modi government on all important issues starting from presidential poll and GST bill in 2017 to Triple Talaq bill in 2019 for which it has often been accused by the Congress of having a tacit alliance with the BJP.