Increased plan outlay for Orissa, but Patnaik gives no credit to PM

BHUBANESWAR, Aug 14: Orissa Chief Minister J B Patnaik on Friday claimed that the rise in the State plan by 47 per cent is a significant ...

BHUBANESWAR, Aug 14: Orissa Chief Minister J B Patnaik on Friday claimed that the rise in the State plan by 47 per cent is a significant victory for the State Government.

The chief minister was addressing a news conference here. He, however, did not give any credit to the Centre for the enhanced plan outlay of the state. Prime Minister A B Vajpayee has no role in this, he said replying to a question and added that the State Government had wrested its demands.

Asked whether previous State Governments were not able to place their demands before the Centre effectively, the chief minister said, “We always placed our demands, but it fell on deaf ears.”

Story continues below this ad

The chief minister said that the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Jaswant Singh was very impressed with the State Government’s performance. The State Government’s decisions to disinvest in the Orissa Power Generation Corporation (OPGC) for raising Rs 603 crore, hike the rate of water cess, and save Rs 200 crore by impounding the dearness allowanceand increased salary of the employees were praised by Singh, he added.

The chief minister said that Singh has assured that he would take up the State Government’s demand for a significant relief in the debt burden or sanction of interest-free medium term loan at the appropriate fora. Singh also assured the chief minister that he would recommend for discussion to the Centre, special category status to Orissa at the next meeting of the National Development Council (NDC).

The chief minister, however, admitted that central resources projected in the state outlay at Rs 1491.88 crore would go down by Rs 401 crore as central revenue receipts have gone down this year. But the commission has given definite assurance to provide Rs 172 crore to bridge the gap, he added. The chief minister said that energy, social sector, and water resources have been given importance in the plan outlay.

LONG TERM ACTION PLAN: The chief minister said that the second victory for the State Government was the announcement of Rs5,527 crore Long Term Action Plan (LTAP) for the KBK (undivided Kalahandi, Bolangir, and Koraput districts) area. Of this, Rs 2,658 crore would be spent during the ninth plan period with an additional component of Rs 1,433 crore. Patnaik said that the Centre has agreed to provide additional assistance of Rs 80.5 crore for the implementation of several schemes in the KBK area under the LTAP.

Story continues below this ad

The chief minister announced that the Planning Commission has agreed to provide Rs 85 crore for opening two schools in each of the tribal panchayats. Patnaik said that the State Government has placed a separate demand of Rs 485 crore for completion of irrigation projects in the areas falling under the LTAP.

REACTION: Replying to a question, the chief minister said that the State Government was yet to decide on its line of action on the dispute with the National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC). Patnaik, however, expressed surprise over the statement of Union Power Minister Kumaramangalam saying that no centralpower projects would be sanctioned for the State. “How can a central minister say this,” he said.