Naveen Patnaik demands special economic package for development of eastern region

Extending a hearty welcome to the 24th Eastern Zonal Council Meeting here chaired by Union Home Minister Amit Shah at the Lok Seva Bhawan here, Patnaik requested the Centre to announce a Special Economic package for Speeding up Infrastructural Development of the region.

Speaking on behalf of the entire eastern region, Patnaik said if a nationwide analysis is done for Tele density, Banking density, Rail and Road density, the East Zone would be at the bottom in all these subjects that are in the Union List.

There is a need to double the allotments made to this region so that they catch up with the National benchmarks, the Odisha Chief Minister said.

This Zone, he said contributes maximum to the mineral wealth of the country and in turn manufacturing and energy security of the Country.

The fruits of this wealth should boost economic growth of this region and its people.

He further said the royalty on Coal has not been revised since 2012, adding that there is an urgent need to revise royalty on Coal and also to share the proceeds of clean Energy cess with the State Governments.

Patnaik said one of the prime objectives of Zonal Councils is national integration and creation of healthy inter-state and Centre-State relations.

The Integration, he said has to be financial, infrastructural, technological, so it leads and strengthens emotional Integration.

The Chief Minister further said the eastern region has some of the largest scheduled areas of the country and reiterated his demand for inclusion of Ho, Bhumij and Mundari languages in the eighth schedule of the Constitution.

While thanking the Union Government for supporting Odisha during cyclonic storm Fani, Mr Patnaik said taking the frequency of natural disasters faced by Odisha into consideration, “Vulnerability to Natural Calamity” should be considered as a criteria to declare Odisha as a “Special Focus State”.

The Chief Minister also drew the attention of the Centre on the delay in release of Grants to Urban Local Bodies, Non-release of Subsidy of Paddy Procurement which he said had caused serious issues to the farmers.

On the various ongoing important railway projects, Patnaik lamented that the progress had been very slow even though the state provides 50 per cent of the funds and land free of cost.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banarjee, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar attended the meeting while Jharkhand Finance Minister represented Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who could not attend the meeting.

Two cabinet ministers from each of the four states also attended the meeting as member of the council besides Chief Secretaries and other senior officers.

The secretaries and additional secretaries of Central government also attend the meeting. 

(Image Credit: Naveen Patnaik Twitter)