Bhubaneswar, February 4: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Member of Parliament (MP) Sasmit Patra has on Tuesday, reiterated the party's demands for Special Category Status for Odisha and an increase in the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) during his address in the Rajya Sabha, responding to the President's Address.
BJD MP Patra also called for the doubling of farmers' incomes and the full implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations. He criticized the President's Address as being filled with vague rhetoric and empty promises, asserting that it lacked concrete substance and seemed detached from the real struggles of the people.
BJD MP Patra said that the President's Address failed to acknowledge urgent issues such as rising inflation, high unemployment, and the distress of farmers. He claimed the speech repeated unfulfilled promises without addressing the country’s pressing challenges.
While discussing Odisha's situation, Patra commended Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s leadership and the 25 years of BJD governance in the state. He pointed out that despite Patnaik's consistent calls for Special Category Status, the President’s Address ignored the issue, despite the President witnessing Odisha’s challenges firsthand, including the frequent devastation caused by cyclones.
BJD MP further emphasized the omission of several key issues affecting Odisha in the President's Address. These included unresolved disputes over the Polavaram and Mahanadi rivers, the failure to revise coal royalty rates, the lack of Green Tax implementation, inadequate national highways, poor railway connectivity, and insufficient digital and mobile infrastructure. He also highlighted the long-standing demand to include 139 communities in the Scheduled Tribes (ST) list and recognize languages like Ho, Mundari, Bhumij, Kui, and Saora in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
Additionally, Patra condemned the President’s Address for ignoring the demand to remove the 18% GST on Kendu Leaf, a crucial livelihood source for over 10 lakh tribal women in Odisha, a plea that BJD leader Naveen Patnaik has consistently advocated for.
BJD MP Patra also criticized the President's Address for offering grand statements but failing to address the real challenges faced by the people of Odisha. He argued that while the speech focused on government achievements, it neglected to address the state’s critical concerns.
