UPA shed 'crocodile tears' for cyclone-hit people: Odisha CM

Accusing the Congress- led UPA government of shedding "crocodile tears" for the people hit by cyclone Phailin, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen
Patnaik today asked the masses to vote more BJD MPs to Parliament so that the state's issues get prominence.
"They (the Centre) only shed crocodile tears, but they have actually no sympathy towards the cyclone-ravaged people," the BJD supremo said while addressing a public meeting in Ganjam district.
"We can fight for the state's interest if more number of Biju Janata Dal candidates win in the coming Lok Sabha and state assembly elections," Patnaik said.
Accusing the Centre of neglecting Odisha even when it was hit by cyclone, the Chief Minister said not a single UPA minister visited the calamity-hit state.

The Centre, however dispatch "a little" assistance to the state after two months of the natural calamity, Patnaik said, adding that the state government was providing special calamity assistance to the farmers at a rate of Rs 100 per quintal of paddy on procurement over and above the minimum support price of paddy as the farmers were worst affected in the cyclone.

The government had also given emphasis on the revival of horticulture crops in Ganjam, the southern Odisha district which bore the brunt of nature's fury, he said.
Listing his government's efforts to raise the status of the people in Odisha, Patnaik said the BJD government reserved 50 per cent of posts for woman in urban rural bodies.

"Development of all sections of the people -- farmers, women and youth -- is the main priority of my government," he said.