Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday reiterated his demand of Special Category Status for Odisha before the 15th Finance Commission here.
A meeting between the State Government and the commission was held here in the presence of Patnaik, other Ministers and senior bureaucrats of the State and commission Chairman Nand Kishore Singh.
The CM, in a memorandum to the commission, also sought a special package of Rs 1,500 crore to build more cyclone shelters and improve the disaster warning system in the State.
Increasing tax devolution from 42 per cent to 50 per cent, making cess and surcharge as part of divisible pool, use of the 1971 population as devolution criterion, extension of GST compensation for another 10 years and spending of Clean Energy Cess in coalmining areas were among the other suggestions made by the CM.
He also sought Rs 8.24 lakh crore from the commission for the period 2020-25.
"We have submitted a detailed memorandum to the commission. I am hopeful that the commission will incorporate all our suggestions and help in the rapid progress of Odisha," the CM said.
He said the State has achieved the highest poverty reduction in the country - a 24.61-percentage points decline -- with 80 lakh persons coming out of poverty in the last decade.
He also said Odisha is the leading State in rural housing, completing a record 20 lakh houses since 2014.
"Our pace of transformation has been remarkable and our growth has been inclusive. Unfortunately, successive Central Governments have ensured that Odisha remains at the bottom in tele-intensity, railway network, banking and highways compounded by neglect in industrial corridor, coal royalty, drinking water and irrigation and cutting off funds for Scheduled Areas and Kalahandi Balangir Koraput region," addedthe Chief Minister.
"It is in this premise of historic Central neglect and frequent natural calamities that my Government has been demanding Special Category Status for Odisha which will supplement our efforts in transforming the State," he added.
The Finance Commission is on a four-day visit to the State to hold detailed meetings with the Government and discuss on the State's finances and other issues.