Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday attended the NITI Aayog meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi and demanded that natural calamity be included as criteria for according Special Category Status to Odisha.
“Natural calamity should be included as a criteria for according Special Category Status to Odisha. As an interim measures, States hit by major natural calamities may be declared as Special Focus States and granted benefits of Special Category Status for a specific period,” demanded Patnaik at the meeting.
Patnaik also demanded revision coal royalty from 14 per cent to 20 per cent of sale value, inclusion of landless agriculture households and sharecroppers in PM-KISAN, extension of priority component under PMGSY-III to habitations with a population of 100 and below and extension of rail connectivity to Kandhamal, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri districts.
The Chief Minister also apprised the PM about the massive damage caused due to cyclone Fani that hit the State on May 3 wreaking havoc in several districts.
Patnaik attended the NITI Aayog’s fifth Governing Council meeting chaired by the PM at the Rashtrapati Bhawan before returning to the State this evening.
During his week-long tour to the national capital after being sworn-in as the Chief Minister of the State for a record fifth term, Patnaik met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President Ram Nath Kovind and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and raised several issues involving the interests of the State.
The meeting was attended by Chief Ministers, Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories, Union Ministers and senior Government officials.
