In a Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha, BJD member Dr Sasmit Patra on Tuesday reiterated Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s demand that the Centre give focus on development of eastern India as a key to development of the country.
The Chief Minister had placed the demand in the 24th Eastern Zonal Council Meeting held in Bhubaneswar a few weeks back.
Dr Patra further emphasised that if a nation-wide analysis is done for tele-density, banking density, rail and road density; then the east zone which includes Odisha would be at the bottom in all these subjects that are in Union List.
Reiterating the CM’s demands, Dr Patra said that there is a need to double the allotments made to this region so that they catch up to the national benchmarks. The east zone contributes maximum to the mineral wealth of the country and in turn manufacturing and energy security of the Country. The fruits of this wealth should boost economic growth of this region and its people. Royalty on coal has not been revised from 2012. There is an urgent need to revise royalty on coal and also to share the proceeds of clean energy cess with the State Government.
Further, he stated that there is a need to provide a special economic package for speeding up infrastructural development of the region. He strongly stressed on the issue that the Union Government works strenuously towards the fulfilment of these demands raised by CM Patnaik at the earliest.