Reacting to the BJD’s Central negligence charge, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has termed the
allegation as “crocodile tears and an old practice of the BJD” and dared the Naveen Patnaik Government to hold a debate on the issue.
“The allegation of Central negligence to Odisha is baseless and fully politically-motivated. Odisha has been granted 42 per cent more financial aid though the 14th Finance Commission, which is 10 per cent more than the earlier grant. Resultantly, Odisha would get more of Rs12,000 crore to Rs13,000 crore annually,” Pradhan said in a statement on Thursday.
Pradhan further informed that Odisha would get all revenue under the mine auction process. Besides, the Centre has sanctioned Rs3,200 crore for railway projects and Rs179 crore for construction of five medical colleges in the State. These apart, the Centre has provided funds for setting up of three more medical colleges by the MCl, NTPC and the Rourkela Steel Plant, for premier educational institutes like IIM and the IISER and for development of NHs, and airways.
“There have been examples of the Centre giving more funds than demanded by Odisha Government and even before time. The BJD Government, which has failed in fulfilling people’s aspirations, is
only hoodwinking them by talking of Central negligence,” the Minister alleged and called upon the Government to
come to the debate table to prove the allegation.