Bhubaneswar: Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra on Thursday reiterated the party’s long-standing demand for special category status (SCS) for Odisha. Speaking in the Upper House of Parliament, Patra criticized the Union Budget for the financial year 2025-26, accusing the Central government of neglecting Odisha once again.
“I stand here today not just as a representative of Odisha but as the voice of a state that has been abandoned by this Union Budget. This is not just neglect—it is an affront to the four and a half crore people of Odisha,” Patra asserted.
Targeting the ruling BJP, the BJD leader reminded the House that the Odisha BJP, in its 2014 election manifesto, had promised special category status for the state. “Eleven years later, where is that promise? Where is that status? Where is the justice?” he questioned.
Patra highlighted that the BJD and its supremo, Naveen Patnaik, have consistently demanded special category status for Odisha over the past two decades. He expressed disappointment that the state’s hopes for SCS remain unfulfilled, even in the latest budget.
“Odisha is the economic backbone of this nation. Our coal, iron ore, and minerals fuel India’s progress. Yet, when Odisha asks for its fair share, this government turns its back. We suffer cyclones and natural disasters year after year, yet Delhi refuses to recognize our pain,” Patra lamented.
The senior BJD leader accused the Union government of favouring certain states while ignoring others, treating Odisha as an afterthought. “Is Odisha only good enough to extract mines, minerals, coal, and wealth from, but not worthy of support for special category status? Odisha’s resilience must be rewarded, not overlooked. If we expect our state to rebuild after every catastrophe while continuing to fuel India’s growth, then we must ensure it receives the support it deserves,” he added.
Patra urged the Central government to honour its commitments and grant special category status to Odisha, emphasizing that the state’s contributions to the nation’s economy and its struggles with natural calamities warrant such recognition.
