After Cyclone Fani, Naveen Patnaik demands special status for Odisha

Bhubaneshwar: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has demanded special category status from Centre for his disaster-prone state, saying it faces natural calamities almost every year.

In his first interview since Cyclone Fani that ravaged the coastal districts killing 41 people, he said special category status is the need of the hour due to the massive loss to infrastructure which may stall growth of the state.

“In fact, this is one of the our main demands before the Union government. Odisha faces natural calamities almost every year. The assistance we get from the Centre is mostly for temporary restoration of infrastructure. We have to spend a lot from state’s own funds to work for the long-term,” Patnaik said in an interview.

“This puts too much stress on our finances. Precisely for this reason, Odisha should be considered for special category status. In the last five years we had Phailin, Hudhud, Titli and now Fani. In addition to this, we has massive floods,” he added.

Mr Patnaik, who was sworn in as the chief minister for the first time in 2000 and is now seeking the consecutive fifth term, said it was necessary to accelerate the growth rate of the state. “We are maintaining a growth rate higher than that of the country. We are doing so well in all our socio-economic indicators. Proving special category status will help us accelerate growth,” he said.

When asked about if Cyclone Fani should have been declared a national calamity considering the magnitude of the damage, he said special category status will solve the purpose.

“If the Centre declares the special category status, everything will be taken care of,” Mr Patnaik said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced `1,000 crore assistance for Odisha and he also did an ariel survey of cyclone ravaged area. He praised the people for cooperating with the administration before the calamity hit the state and applauded Mr Patnaik for timely relocation work to minimise the causalities.