BJP State president Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo on Friday said the practice of the State Government seeking Central assistance has now come to an end due to an automatic flow of funds from the Centre. “The days of a ‘State seeking and Centre giving’ are over. Now, a special representative team of the State Government need not go to Delhi to seek an increase in mine royalty or to seek more assistance before every Budget. Odisha would get all kinds of financial support as the Central Government is emphasising on development of eastern States,” Singh Deo said in a statement.
He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi created history by garlanding architects of Odisha as a special State on the Utkal Divas this year. The Prime Minister’s suo motu announcement for a second bridge over river Brahmani at the Rourkela meeting bears importance, the BJP leader observed. Singh Deo said the long-standing demands of Rourkela people for upgrading the Rourkela Ispat Hospital into a medical college hospital and a super speciality one have been fulfilled by the PM’s declaration. He said the Fourteenth Finance Commission’s assistance for Odisha would be increased from Rs10,000 crore to 25,000 crore. “The Prime Minister is committed to giving special attention for the development of Odisha among the eastern States,” he said. Singh Deo praised Modi for initiating and ending his speech seeking blessings of lord Janannath in Odia. Besides, Modi has showed his love and devotion to the lord by announcing Rs50 crore for the upcoming Nabakalebar festival, he pointed out.