BJD accuses central governments of neglecting Odisha

BJD today accused successive central governments of neglecting Odisha in times of disasters while opposition Congress and BJP dubbed this as an effort by the ruling party to hide its inefficiency to tackle the drought situation in the state.
The issue was debated in the Assembly through a motion moved by government Chief Whip Ananta Das where BJD members accused both the present NDA government and the previous UPA regime of neglecting the state that was hit by at least 21 disasters like flood, drought, cyclone and unseasonal rain in last 14 years.
Though the state sought central assistance of Rs 26,207.70 crore between 2000 and 2014, Odisha received only Rs 2442.02 crore. This is the proof of the Centre's negligence towards the state, Das said.

The state faced floods in 2001, 2003 (twice), 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (twice), 2008 (twice), 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013 and 2014. Similarly, drought occurred in 2000, 2002, 2009 and 2010. Hailstorm and tornado in 2009, cyclone Phailin in 2013, cyclone Hudhud in 2014, unseasonal cyclonic rain in 2010 and heavy rain in 2005, pointed out senior BJD member and former minister Amar Prasad Satpathy.
Das said the then Prime Minister announced Rs 200 crore central assistance for flood in 2006. However, the state in reality received only Rs 25 crore which was later adjusted against the state disaster response fund, Das said.

Similarly, the then union Home Minister Shivraj Patil in 2008 announced Rs 500 crore assistance for flood in Odisha. The state received only Rs 98.87 crore of which Rs 80.869 crore was later adjusted against funds released in favour of the state from the NDRF for drought and unseasonal cyclonic rain in 2010.
Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Sanjay Dasburma asked how the NDA government sanctioned Rs 2000 crore for Maharashtra, Rs 1540 crore for Karnataka, Rs 1387 crore for Chhattishgarh, Rs 1665 crore for Assam and Rs 802 crore Andhra Pradesh for drought.
"These states got central assistance even without submitting memoranda to the Centre. But, in case of Odisha, the Centre asks for memorandum," Dasburma alleged adding that Odisha gets central teams while others get funds.