New Delhi: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday reiterated the demand of ‘special category status’ for Odisha and informed the Centre of the devastation caused by cyclone Fani in the fifth meeting of the governing council of NITI Aayog chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Odisha Chief Minister proposed inclusion of natural calamity as a criteria for according special category status to Odisha. He said as an interim measure, states hit by major natural calamities may be declared as ‘special focus states’ and be granted benefits of ‘special category’ for a specific period.
He also emphasized the need for women empowerment in all spheres.
Patnaik said judicious utilisation of water resources holds the key to development and second green revolution should happen in dryland or arid zones.
Advocating simultaneous elections in the country, he said frequent elections often hinder development.
For the welfare of farmers, Patnaik suggested inclusion of landless agriculture households and sharecroppers in the PM-Kisan yojana. He further said all irrigation projects which are lying incomplete as of April 1 should be incorporated under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY).
The Chief Minister urged the Union government to allocate much higher quantum of resources for watershed, command area development and drinking water.
Raising the issue of road connectivity to habitations with a population of 100 and below, the Chief Minister also demanded expeditious implementation of projects to extend rail connectivity to Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts.
Further, the Chief Minister urged the Centre to extend bank facilities to unbanked Gram Panchayats and sought implementation of Bhartnet Project at a faster pace. He also urged the Aayog to revise royalty on coal from 14 per cent to 20 per cent of its sale value.