Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday said the state has been a victim of federal government neglect and alleged a conspiracy in the Polavaram and Mahanadi projects.

“As you know the rivers, especially the Mahanadi, are the lifelines of Odisha. But Odisha has repeatedly been denied its rights on the rivers flowing through it. Both in Polavaram and Mahanadi, we have been a victim of central neglect and conspiracy,” said the Chief Minister.

“But all of you know that we are determined to fight this issue at every level till we achieve the desired results,” Patnaik said while addressing the BJD Legal Front in Bhubaneswar.

He said the denial of funds for the Kalahandi Balangir Koraput (KBK) region is another example of central neglect.

He said tribal students are facing problems in getting central scholarship in higher education due to the indifferent attitude of the centre.

He urged the legal luminaries of the state to strengthen the fight of the party on this issue.

The Chief Minister expressed confidence about the Legal Front contributing immensely in the ensuing local body elections to strengthen the Biju Janata Dal.

He said Odisha under the BJD government is one among the few states of the country which has taken a number of initiatives to strengthen the local governance system, or Panchayati Raj System.

“The primary objective of our party is to ensure a sustainable development mechanism with the support and participation of people. I hope the Legal Front will contribute to this process in achieving our goal,” he added.

Patnaik said the state government has put in place a robust social welfare mechanism that covers every section of society.

He said Odisha is the only state to double the income of farmers in the last decade and transform it from a rice crop deficit state to one with a rice surplus.

source: GULF NEWS