Bhubaneswar: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today poured cold water on Odisha’s longstanding demand for special category state status.
In response to a media query on the Centre’s decision on Odisha and other states demand for special category state status at a presser here, Sitharaman replied that the Finance Commission has made it clear that no special category status can be given to any state.
She said Telengana was an exception and it was awarded the special category status during the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.
So far only 11 states have been accorded the status so far.
The BJD government in Odisha for long has been demanding the status citing frequent occurrences of natural disasters like cyclones and droughts.
The Union Finance Minister is here on a two-day visit for Post-Budget interaction.
