Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday sought a special dispensation from the Union government to help the state catch up with the frontline states.
Interacting with the visiting Niti Aayog Chairman Rajiv Kumar and his team, Patnaik said Odisha, burdened with infrastructural gaps and vulnerability to recurring natural calamities, required a special dispensation from the union government.
While a seven-member team led by Niti Aayog Member VK Paul arrived at Bhubaneswar Tuesday, Niti Aayog Chairman Rajiv Kumar arrived here Wednesday to discuss various developmental agendas with the state government.
Patnaik said Odisha has made substantial improvement in the last two decades both in macroeconomic indicators and also in socio-economic indicators.
Welcoming Rajiv Kumar and his team to Odisha, the Chief Minister expected to engage with Niti Aayog constructively in the spirit of cooperative federalism.
Stating that this platform will help in sharing innovative and emerging ideas for development, he said, “We would like to take this opportunity to present various longstanding and emergent developmental issues requiring the support of NITI Aayog and Government of India.”
Hailing the NITI Aayog for its support to states in identifying priorities, sectors, and strategies for sustainable development, Patnaik suggested more such consultations and collaboration with the states in course of strategy and policy formulation across sectors.
Naveen said our development interventions have been successful in combating Left Wing Extremism, mobilization and economic empowerment of nearly 70 lakh women through Self Help Groups.
Odisha, Patnaik said has its health assurance scheme for cashless treatment in empanelled hospitals with wider coverage to reduce out of pocket health expenditure.
The state is the third-largest contributor to the PDS rice pool of the country and has pioneered a conditional cash transfer system for pregnant women and lactating mothers, he added.
Odisha has also invested heavily in infrastructure development and has become an attractive investment destination in the manufacturing and mining industries.
Niti Aayog Chairman Rajiv Kumar congratulated the Chief Minister for the increase in state’s per capita income, improvement in agriculture and mining along managing the fiscal deficit below five per cent.
Kumar advised the state to improve its mining production from one per cent to more than two per cent. He proposed the state set up an SDG Monitoring Unit and suggested switching to chemical-free agriculture in the state.
Stating that every state has its priorities and specificity, he said the Niti Aayog is keen to partner with Odisha for developing a State Specific Development Blueprint for Odisha.
UNI