In the wake of the sensational exposure in the CAG report relating to the mismanagement and arbitrary allotment of Government land by the General Administration Department in Bhubaneswar region, the State BJP on Monday demanded resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik accusing him of his involvement in the large-scale irregularities.
Addressing a Press conference here, former Revenue Minister and senior BJP leader Manmohan Samal urged Chief Minister Patnaik, who is in charge of the General Administration Department, to disclose in details the allotment of Government lands in Bhubaneswar and status of land use as well as the names of encroachers since 1980 till date through a "white paper". He sought the Chief Minister to clarify as to what actions he had taken against the encroachers of valuable Government land in Bhubaneswar.
He said that the General Administration Department under the control of the Chief Minister had been empowered to control, administer, manage and protect land within the geographical limits of capital city ofBhubaneswar. But the Government lands were being allotted without any uniform policy or rule resulting in arbitrary allotment of land without ensuring a definite valuation by the Chief Minister.
Even though large areas have been under encroachment, particularly by the influential persons, the Chief Minister had not taken any tangible steps to resume the land to the Government custody. There has not been any land use plan and lands were allotted lower than the market price due to lack of any bench mark valuation system resulting in huge loss to the State exchequer, he alleged.
Samal said that since the General Administration Department, which allots and distributes land, was under the Chief Minister, he should step down for the discrepancies in the allotment of Government land and for failing to regulate the entire process starting form land allotment. Despite large scale encroachment of the Government land in Bhubaneswar, the Government had failed to evict them, he charged.
Samal flayed the Chief Minister for protecting and allowing the Revenue Minister Surya Naryan Patro for heading the Cabinet Sub-Committee on first ever land Grant Policy in the capital region despite the fact that Patro had taken over one acre of plot in residential area for commercial purposes in his son's name availing undue favour of low premium against the prevalent market value. Though the land in question was cancelled in November 2012 for not being used in time, Patro has been keeping the land unauthorizedly and the Chief Minister has not so far resumed it and brought the land into Government record.
He demanded that the Revenue Minister resign from the Cabinet owning moral responsibility or Chief Minister should kick him out for violating law.
Alleging that the Chief Minister has resorted to double standards in case of Patro and has failed to fulfil his duties and responsibility in protecting and managing the land affairs, Samal demanded that Patnaik resign immediately on moral ground.
On the other hand, Revenue Minister Patro claimed he was not involved in the allotment and cancellation of the land in favour of his son Biplab.
"Biplab has already moved the High Court challenging the cancellation and also obtained a stay order. He will do whatever he finds suitable. I have nothing to do in this matter," the Minister said.