Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today said he would submit a memorandum carrying signature of one crore people supporting demand of special category status for the state.
"We will submit signature of one crore people of Odisha in support of the special category status to the President of India," Patnaik told reporters on his return from a five-day visit to the national capital.
Stating that the ruling BJD has planned a mass congregation at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi on June 12 to press for the demand, Patnaik said he had already raised the issue with the Planning Commission during a discussion on plan size determination on June 4.
"I have apprised Planning Commission deputy chairman M S Ahluwalia and other members of the plan panel about Odisha's claim of Special Category Status," he said, adding, the state satisfied all criteria to get the SCS tag except having an international boundary.
The BJD's rally would follow Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar's 'Adhikar' rally demanding special category state status for his state.
Odisha's rally will mark the culmination of the ruling BJD's months long campaign launched on April 28 for special category state status.
Earlier last month, Ahluwalia had rejected Odisha's plea for SCS, saying the state did not qualify for it under the existing criteria.
