Bhubaneswar: Odisha government on Saturday said
its economic achievements should not be used against the state
for denying special category status.
"The fact that the state has been performing well in
the last decade in terms of growth and poverty reduction
should not be used against the government for denying special
category status," Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said.
Patnaik's statement came a day after Deputy Chairman
of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said the panel
was not considering any proposal to accord special category
state status to Odisha now.
"At 9 per cent growth why do you need special category
state status," Ahluwalia asked while replying a question here
yesterday at the celebration of the Nalco's Foundation Day.
In his speech there, Chief Secretary B K Patnaik had
said the state's GDP was 9 per cent, more than the national
average and Odisha had also reduced poverty by 10 per cent.
In reaction to Ahluwalia's remark, the chief secretary
said: "Growth at the rate of 9 per cent in not sufficient. Ye
dil maange more."
The chief minister said Odisha should continue to
accelerate the growth process in order to achieve more
development through increased central funding.
Alleging that the Centre sanctioned less assistance to
Odisha under the Backward Region Grant Funds in comparison to
other states, Patnaik said it should continue the ongoing
Revised Long Term Action Plan for the development of the
poverty stricken KBK (Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput) region.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, January 07, 2012, 21:15