BJD demands fiscal autonomy for Orissa

The Biju Janata Dal on Sunday passed a resolution demanding 50 per cent royalty on minerals mines in the state.

The Biju Janata Dal on Sunday passed a resolution demanding 50 per cent royalty on minerals mines in the state. A resolution moved by Finance Minister Prafulla Ghadai at the partys state executive meeting on Sunday,demanded that Orissa be given fiscal autonomy as the Centre has been neglecting the state on all fronts.

Biju babu had said that had he been given fiscal autonomy to use the minerals reserved in the state,Orissa could have emerged as one of the most prosperous states in entire Asia, the resolution said.

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee,who was in Bhubaneswar on Sunday,said the new mining policy would include all suggestions from mine-bearing states. Mukherjee said he has received a representation from the Orissa government in this regard.

The party also made major amendments to its constitution for the first time after its formation in 1997. The new amendments include election every three years instead of two years,reservation of one-third of party posts for women and nine vice-presidents instead of exsiting five. The party also revived the Political Affairs Committee making Naveen Patnaik as its head. The party would now put its election symbol conch and Orissa map on its flag.