Centre-Orissa relation dips amidst allegations of neglect

The relation between the UPA government and Orissa has gone downhill with the Naveen Patnaik administration accusing the Centre of adopting a step-motherly attitude towards the state.

Be it flood assistance or paddy procurement by FCI and expansion of railway network, the ruling BJD alleged negligence by the Manmohan Singh-led UPA government. The Biju Janata Dal, which won 103 seats in the 147-member Assembly in Orissa and 14 of the s tate's 21 Lok Sabha seats, has issued a direction to its MPs to raise the issue of neglect in both houses of Parliament.

“We have been asked to raise issues like revision of coal/mineral royalty and negligence in railway expansion,” BJD's parliamentary party leader in Lok Sabha Mr Arjun Sethi said. This time BJD's voice would be louder in Delhi as it has 14 MPs in Lok Sab ha, he said.

Similar was the view of Pyari Mohan Mohapatra, BJD leader in Rajya Sabha. “We will be more critical as the Centre continues to neglect Orissa,” he said. Congress, on the other hand, accused BJD of attacking the Centre to hide its failures.

“Instead of blaming the Centre for everything, Orissa government should try to work in coordination with us,” leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Mr Bhupinder Singh said.

Source: The Hindu Business Line