Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, March 2: Fuming over the meagre allocation to the state in the Union budget 2015-16, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) launched a statewide protest Monday from the capital city.
Members of the three frontal wings of the ruling party – Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD), Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD) and Biju Mahila Janata Dal (BMJD) — staged a protest in front of Raj Bhawan here and submitted a memorandum to Governor SC Jamir, and are set to launch protests at district headquarters across the state Tuesday.
Protesting outside Raj Bhawan, the activists shouted slogans against the Central government accusing it of having an apathetic attitude towards the state.
BYJD president and food supply minister Sanjay Das Burma said, “While special packages worth `20,000 crore have been announced for poll-bound West Bengal and Bihar, the backward KBK region in our state has been ignored, despite our strongest demands.”
“The Centre also failed to announce any package for the grand Nabakalebar festival to be held in July 2015,” Das Burma said.
The food supply minister added that the Centre has delinked various schemes including Backward Region Grant Funds from Central assistance. Orissa’s share in tax devolution would come down resulting in a loss of about `4,600 crore over a period of five years, Das Burma added.
“The assistance towards Cyclone Phailin and Hudhud is yet to be released to the state.,’’ law minister Arun Kumar Sahoo said.
“We will take this agitation to the block and village-level to make our voices heard,” said health minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had also termed the Union Budget tabled February 28 as ‘disappointing’.
However, BJP leader and Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan said Sunday that the state would be provided `24,416 crore as per the recommendation of the 14th Finance Commission as against `16,630 crore recommended by the 13th Finance Commission.