Ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Odisha, senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Srikant Jena on Tuesday urged him to resolve the Mahanadi water and coal cess issues in the better interest of the State.
“The Mahanadi is lifeline of Odisha. The Chhattisgarh Government is constructing six barrages on the river on a war-footing in order to provide water to industries. People of Odisha are strongly opposing it. Kindly, stop the construction works and constitute a special tribunal to resolve the dispute. Otherwise, it would cause heavy loss to Odisha,” Jena mentioned in his letter to the PM. He too requested Modi to utilise all Rs 8,000 coal cess the Centre is collecting from Odisha for welfare of its people.
“The Centre is collecting Rs 8,000 coal cess every year and spending the same for developmental works in rich States like Gujarat and Maharashtra. What is the justification behind it when you are stating in public meetings across the country that Odisha is a very poor StateIJ” he wanted to know.
He suggested that the money can be given as ‘unemployment allowance’ to youths of Odisha who are going outside in search of work. This money can be used for development of farming in the State where farmers are committing suicide after being unable to repay loans, he said.
He too raised the issues ‘reverse auction’ of the country’s largest coalmine Mandakini. “Odisha has lost Rs 1 lakh crore as your Government leased out the Mandakini coalmine on a reverse auction mode giving benefits to industrialists. What mistakes people of Oidsha have committedIJ I hope you will give justice to the State,” said Jena.
He too alleged that the Modi Government has not given a single project to Odisha during the last three years since it came to power at the Centre. Besides, he charged that the Government has stopped and curtailed giving funds for many projects and schemes initiated by the UPA Government, including MGNREGS, NRHM and proposed AIIMS super speciality hospital at Baleswar.
He requested the Prime Minister to take steps for construction of the proposed Talcher fertilser plant soon. Mentioning the issue of communal violence at Bhadrak, Jena urged the Prime Minister to direct all concerned not to break brotherhood in the State.
“Odisha is a peaceful State. Brotherhood among people of various religious is special identity of the State. Some people are trying to destroy it. I hope you will advice them not to break this tradition during your stay in the State,” said Jena.
When asked to comment on the BJD’s protest against cutting of kerosene quota, Jena said, “There many important issues that can be raised during the PM’s visit. I don’t understand why the ruling party is raising kerosene issue. It can be shorted out at a Joint Secretary level.”