Bhubaneswar, April 1: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today used the Utkal Divas platform to reiterate his demand for a special category status to Odisha.
“We have been demanding this status for several years. We meet all the criteria except sharing an international boundary. It’s our right,” he said at a programme here to mark the state’s 77th foundation day.
He also lashed out at the Centre for neglecting Odisha. “We have been contributing significantly in the field of mines and railways but the Centre continues to neglect us,” he said.
With elections coming up, Naveen used the occasion to list out the achievements of his government.
He paid tributes to the makers of modern Odisha and launched a 24X7 ambulance service for Cuttack district and a community policing scheme.
“To build public confidence, the police should strive to ensure the safety of lives and property by effectively enforcing law and order,” he said while addressing a gathering at the 78th Odisha Police Formation Day event in Cuttack.
While launching the community policing scheme from Markat Nagar police station in Cuttack, he said: “I believe this will serve as a bridge between the police and the public.”
The Markat Nagar police jurisdiction will be divided into eight beats and a constable (beat officer) would be in charge of each beat. The officers will establish direct contact with senior citizens, youths and other members of the locality to facilitate mutual co-operation to prevent crime.
At an event organised by Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation, Naveen distributed funds under Swarna Jayanti Sahari Rojgar Yojana to 95 women self-help groups (SHGs), loan and subsidy for small enterprise to 10 SHGs, autorickshaws to eight people under self-employment scheme, biometric cards to 849 pension holders, tricycles to eight differently-abled persons and a wheelchair to one person.
In Sambalpur, revenue minister Surya Narayan Patro announced that the state government would come out with a legislation to deal with land encroachment.
The land grabbers would have to pay fine at the rate 5 per cent of the market price per acre and electricity and water supply would be cut off to the encroached land. A bill to this effect would be introduced in the Assembly soon.
The state government also launched a health helpline for tribal people. They would be provided with free treatment and other health care facilities.
On the other hand, Opposition leaders criticised the government’s failures and misdeeds. Senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra said all political parties should rise above party lines and fight together for the special category status.
