BHUBANESWAR, MARCH 20: Leader of the Opposition in the Orissa House, Ramakrushna Patnaik, today announced that the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) would review its stand vis-a-vis the Bharatiya Janata Party if its conditions for extending support to its government at the Centre were not fulfilled within a year.Addressing a news conference in his Assembly chamber, Patnaik said that the BJD's single point agenda was declaration of Orissa as a special category state.
``We will certainly review our stand if the Centre did not declare Orissa a special category state within a year,'' he added. Patnaik, however, maintained that due emphasis has been given to the BJD's demands in the national agenda. Referring to point 21 of the agenda where it has been stated that `states of the Union where the percentage of population below the poverty line has increased during the last five decades would receive special attention', the BJD leader said that Orissa was the only state in the country which fitted this description.
Hemaintained that Orissa was the only state in the country where the percentage of people living below the poverty line had increased during the last five decades. He said that special attention could be given to a state only when it was declared as a special category state.
By including this item in the national agenda, the demand of the BJD for declaration of Orissa as a special category state has been given due importance, the BJD leader added.
Patnaik also referred to point four of the national agenda which states that development of medium and small scale irrigation projects would receive priority attention and emphasis for investment here would be in accordance with the potential for development. He claimed that as Orissa's potential in this sector was ten per cent of the entire country's potential, the state would be the largest beneficiary from this.
Demands of the BJD, including provision of drinking water to every village, have also been given due recognition in the national agenda, Patnaiksaid.The Opposition leader congratulated the Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies for earmarking of 60 per cent of the total expenditure for agriculture and rural development sectors.
Replying to a question, Patnaik said that Vananchal, announced in thenational agenda, would be limited to the geographical boundary of Bihar.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
