BJD accuses BJP govt of not making effort for special category status to Odisha
Bhubaneswar (PTI): The BJD on Saturday accused the BJP government in Odisha of not making any effort to fulfil the 2014 poll promise of a special category status for the state, and urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to clarify on the long-standing issue.
Addressing a press conference here, BJD MP Sasmit Patra claimed that Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary had on February 10 said in the Rajya Sabha that there was "no proposal under consideration" of the Centre for granting the special category status to Odisha.
“We need clarification from the chief minister. The BJP, in its 2014 election manifesto, had specified that if it came to power, the party would work towards special category status for Odisha. But the BJP government has not moved an inch to fulfil the poll promise," Patra alleged.
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He challenged the chief minister to get a nod from the state cabinet during its meeting this evening so that the state can place a demand for the special category status before the Centre.
The special category status for Odisha is a long-standing demand.
"The issue was raised for the first time in the National Development Council (NDC) in 1979. Thereafter, the assembly passed several resolutions for the special category status for Odisha, as the state often faces natural calamities and therefore requires special financial assistance to boost development. Resolutions to this effect were passed in the 10th and 11th assembly," an official said.
The previous BJD government had also undertaken a massive signature campaign, involving nearly one crore people, which was submitted to the then President.
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Hailstorm brings relief to Bengaluru from scorching summer
Bengaluru (PTI): Bringing much relief to the people battered by the scorching summer, heavy rains coupled with hailstorm lashed the city on Wednesday.
The thunderous downpour with stormy wind cooled the city, where the temperature had soared to 37 degree.
With the rains, the city, from being parched, witnessed waterlogging in just two hours.
There was waist-deep water in many areas in the city such as Richmond Town and Shanthinagar resembling a river.
The unexpected rain did not spare Vidhana Soudha, the seat of power, as water gushed inside the government offices from the lobby. The office of the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka was also flooded.
Since the downpour occurred in the evening, many office goers struggled to return home.
Uprooting of trees was reported in many parts of the city, including Malleswaram, Shanthinagar and Seshadripuram.
