Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik accuses Centre of ‘step-motherly’ treatment

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday launched a campaign against the Centre’s ‘step-motherly’ attitude towards Orissa.

Peeved at not getting a special package in the Budget unlike West Bengal and Bihar, Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik castigated the Modi government for slashing Orissa’s share in the 14th Finance Commission.

“The Centre has to play its role in the development of a state in a federal structure. Unfortunately, even though the Centre appreciated the state’s performance in managing fiscal deficit, it has reduced the state’s share in the 14th Finance Commission. Is it not political discrimination? We will have to intensify our fight against this injustice,” Naveen said on Wednesday at a function organised to mark the birth anniversary of his father and former CM Biju Patnaik.

“Though the central government admits that Orissa’s fiscal management is better than others, it deducted the state’s share in the 14th Finance Commission grants. They have issued special packages to Bihar and West Bengal, but not to Orissa. Is it wrong to perform a better fiscal management? The states having bad track records on financial management got good share through the 14th Finance Commission. This kind of discrimination will certainly weaken the federal system of governance,” he added.

The BJD has already made it clear that it would not support the amended Land Acquisition Bill in Parliament.

Source:: Indian Express