Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today rebuffed the allegations of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik about the neglect meted out to Odisha in terms of resource allocation in the Union Budget for 2015-16 and said, poorer states are going to be benefited more because of the budgetary provision.
"As far as my knowledge, Odisha will receive more funds than previous years. Though shares of Odisha has gone down as per the new criteria, the quantum of fund will be more. The state government must make an honest estimate about it and then should criticise us," said Dharmendra Pradhan, Union minister for petroleum and natural gas, at a press meet here.
On Saturday, Patnaik said, Odisha has been neglected in the Union Budget as its share in getting tax resources has gone down to 4.62 per cent from 4.78 per cent, leading to an estimated loss of Rs 4,600 crore over a period of five years.
However BJP said, though share percentage has come down, total amount will go up to Rs 24,416 crore per year for a period of five years, up from Rs 16,630 crore Odisha was getting annually in the 13th Finance Commission period.
"Besides, Odisha stands to get benefitted from auction of mining leases as it will get 100 per cent of the proceedings, along with provisions mentioned in the Union budget for infrastructure schemes and Rail Budget as per our Act East policy," said Pradhan.
In his reaction to the Union Budget, Patnaik had said, despite prime minister's aim to strengthen eastern India, Odisha got less priority than Bihar and West Bengal. Pradhan said, said, it is unfair to compare the amount Odisha will receive with that of Bihar and West Bengal as the states have different needs and resources.
Ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today announced to intensify protests against the Centre citing neglect to the state. It said, the Union finance minister overlooked the fact that Odisha faced two severe cyclones in 2013 and 2014 and also ignored the demand of declaring Odisha a special category state.
"We will organise protests on Monday in front of Raj Bhawan to showcase the neglects of the Union government towards Odisha. On March 3, these protests will be taken to district level and rallies will be organised in front of district collectorate," said Sanjay Dasburma, senior BJD leader and state food and civil supplies minister. Pradhan, who attended BJP's membership drive function here, said, the state government must say in which cases the Centre neglected them instead of organising protest marches.
