CM Naveen puts forth list of demands before PM Modi; refutes corruption allegations

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make the Veer Surendra Sai airport in Jharsuguda into a full-fledged commercial airport.

Briefing mediapersons, Patnaik said, “I requested the Prime Minister to name the airport after freedom fighter Veer Surendra Sai, following which the PM agreed to it and made the announcement. I also said that the airport should be a full-fledged one with proper Air India flights in addition to the UDAN flights.”

The CM further said, “In Talcher, where the PM laid foundation stone for the fertilizer plant, I made the demand that 50 per cent of the urea to be produced in the plant should be for the benefit of Odisha’s farmers.”

The Chief Minister also urged the PM Modi to increase the rate of coal royalty as Odisha being the coal-bearing State is being adversely affected due to mining activities.

In reaction to Modi’s criticism over Odisha’s health and food security schemes, the CM said, “the Biju Swasthya kalyan Yojana (BSKY) covers extra 50 lakh beneficiaries which the Centre’s scheme does not provide.Under the scheme, we provide health assistance to the tune of  Rs 7 lakh for women. As far as food security scheme is concerned, we provide the benefits to 25 lakhs extra poor people.”

On the PM’s remarks on PC culture, Patnaik said, “He must have said that to enthuse his political workers. In fact, they should be thinking of their own skill mission and Ujjwala scams. They should also think very seriously about the record rocketing prices of petrol and diesl for which all the people of the country are suffering.”