BJD starts campaign for special status to Orissa

On April 26,BJD had called for a 12-hour bandh against the Centres Rs 12,000-crore largesse to Bihar from the Backward Region Grant Funds. Orissa was given just Rs 1,250 crore in the 12th Five Year Plan.

Early this month,Naveen had accused the UPA of political bargaining over its largesse to Bihar. He said when he took office in 2000,the states treasuries were virtually empty and it was on the brink of financial bankruptcy.

The state had to resort to frequent overdrafts and ways and means advances to run its day-to-day business. There were only limited funds for development programmes and Orissa was a heavily debt-stressed economy. Now,the financial situation of the State has improved. However,Orissas economic base is still comparatively small and we are also vulnerable to frequent natural calamities, he said.