By Our Correspondent in Bhubaneswar, February 8, 2015 : 

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday batted for level playing field for the development of the state while addressing the maiden the Governing Council meeting of Niti Ayoga at New Delhi.

While making it clear that the state will actively partner the Central Government in the implementation of programmes of national priority like Make in India, Skill India, Digital India, Housing for All, Smart Cities, Patnaik sought more flexibility to the States to design and implement programmes suited to their specific needs within broad development objectives set at the national level.

“We are seriously concerned that even under the existing Central schemes, we do not receive the budgeted amounts because of arbitrary cuts resulting in incomplete projects, delays and cost overruns”, the chief minister added.

Citing one example, Patnaik said, under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme, the Central Government released only Rs.53 crore during 2012-13 and 2013-14 against the allocation of Rs.1888 crore and in 2014-15 there is a meager allocation of only Rs.330 crore.

“How do we plan and complete our projects on time?” he quipped

Patnaik also raised the issue of negligible budgetary allocation to the state by the railways even as Odisha is one of the largest contributors to the earnings of Indian Railways.

“..but unfortunately the Railway route length and rail density in Odisha is well below the national average”, he lamented urging for enhanced provisions for all the ongoing Railway projects some of which are decades old so that they are completed in the next three years. He also appealed for sanction of new lines for profitable projects and uncovered areas.

The chief minister pointed out that non-availability of funds had been delaying several irrigation, rural roads and railway projects and sought the Ayoga to address the issue on priority.

Patnaik assured that the state will take steps to remove the obstacles leading to delays in forest clearances and land acquisition for various infrastructure projects.

He impressed upon the Ayoga to consider the state specific geographical vulnerabilities while deciding on the allocation of resources. “Odisha faces natural disasters every alternative year with huge adverse impact on the resources of the State. The new dispensation must take note of it while allocating resources to Odisha”.

Reiterating his opposition to some provisions in the recent Ordinance on the MMDR Act, Patnaik remarked that even though Odisha is rich in mineral resources, but it is not getting its due benefits from this mineral wealth.

“We are deeply disappointed with some provisions such as the provision in the recent Ordinance on the MMDR Act of deemed extension under Section 8A which severely restricts the number of leases that can come up for auction during the next five years. I suggest that no further extension be given to leases that have completed 50 years and all such leases be settled afresh through auction”, he added.

Demanding for adequately compensation by way of a Green Tax against pollution caused by mining, the chief minister said the state is paying a heavy price in terms of pollution caused by the coal mines and extraction of other minerals.

He expressed serious concern relating to Asian Development Bank [ADB] assisted Vishakhapatnam-Chennai Industrial Corridor and the Eastern India Amritsar-Kolkata Corridor.

“Both these corridors have bypassed us, despite Odisha being a major mineral bearing and port State. I do hope that this oversight is corrected at the earliest and the Vishakhapatnam-Chennai Corridor is extended till Balasore”, he urged.

Patnaik also sought the central government to meet at least 75% of the cost of providing pucca houses to all those with kucha houses in the rural areas. This scheme in the coming five year would cost the state exchequer of about Rs.30, 000 crore.

He also asked the central government to introduce a permanent constitutional mechanism for automatic compensation to the States in case of revenue loss due to introduction of the Bill to amend the Constitution of India for facilitating Goods and Services Tax (GST). This Bill provides for compensation to the States for a period of 5 years only.