By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, August 7, 2022: Reiterating the demand for special category state (SCS) status for Odisha, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting requested the Centre to make frequent natural calamity hit state special attention and provide funds for disaster proofing.

“Odisha is impacted almost every year by natural disasters. I would sincerely request the Central government to make Odisha a special focus state and allocate funds for disaster proofing,” the Chief Ministers said.

The Chief Minister had on July 28 raised the similar demand during a meeting with the chairman of the NITI Aayog Suman Bery and member V K Paul here. He had stressed that the SCS status is very important for Odisha which faces natural disasters like cyclones and floods every year, resulting in massive damage to state infrastructure.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired the seventh governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog along with Lieutenant Governors and Chief Ministers of various states. This was the first in-person meeting of the Governing Council since July 2019.

The meeting is expected to discuss crop diversification, including the country’s goal to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oil. This assumes significance given that India imports nearly 65 per cent of its edible oil requirements, which places significant dependence on an important part of the country’s diet.

Several other important issues, including presentations on the National Education Policy (NEP) are being discussed in the meeting. According to sources, drafts and presentations are expected by state authorities on the NEP, its implementation issues, and how it can be made in compliance with the states.

According to NITI Aayog’s statement, “The agenda of the meeting, interalia, includes crop diversification and achieving self-sufficiency in oilseeds and pulses and agri-communities; implementation of the National Education Policy–school education; implementation of the National Education Policy–higher education; and urban governance.”

Meanwhile, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar did not attend the meeting. Except for the two, all heads of the states were present at the brainstorming session.