With the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) all set to meet the President of India and organise a Swaviman rally at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi demanding Special Category Status for the State, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday announced to raise the issue before the Planning Commission during the meeting on Tuesday to finalise the annual plan for the State.
“On June 4, I will be having a meeting with Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission to finalise State’s Annual Plan for the year 2013-14. I will also be reiterating our demand for Special Category Status during the meeting,” he told newsmen before leaving for New Delhi on a four- day visit.
The draft plan for 2013-14 fiscal has been pegged at Rs 21,467 crore, 24.44 per cent higher than Rs 17,250 crore fixed for 2012-13. The State Plan for this fiscal will concentrate on agriculture, road, irrigation, energy and social welfare, especially welfare of SCs and STs.
The meeting would be attended by Finance Minister Prasanna Acharya, Planning and Coordination Minister Maheswar Mohanty and Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik.
The State Government would demand special grants to boost plan size and expenditure, besides reimbursement of an estimated Rs 1,500 crore pending towards the CST. Patnaik also said that during his stay in the national capital, he would attend the Chief Ministers’ conference on internal security.
“I would also place our demand in the meeting for supporting the anti-Naxal operation in the State,” he said. Meanwhile, close on the heels of the Sukuma Maoist massacre, the State Government has decided to demand before the Union Home Ministry at least two additional Central paramilitary forces in addition to the existing 16 platoons to combat the Maoists.
The Chief Minister also said that he would meet the Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to expedite the Odisha Protection of Interests of Depositors (in Financial establishments) Bill, 2011 pending Presidential assent so as to deal with fraudulent chit fund companies. The Chief Minister is scheduled to return Bhubaneswar on June 6.