BJD wants two additions in NPR, says party MP

Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janta Dal (BJD) President Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday chaired a meeting here ahead of parliament's budget session to discuss the party's strategy.

Party MP Pinaki Misra told the media that the meeting discussed performance of party MPs in the parliament and issues to be taken up during the session.

He said the BJD wants two additions in NPR including the inclusion of OBC in the census like SCs and STs "so that we can get an idea that what is the OBCs enumeration in the country".

"We had already made clear that we are not happy with the 13(2) of new NPR format that seeks details of the birthplace of the parents of individuals so it will not be implemented in Odisha," he said.

"We have been asked by the Chief Minister to push for the clean energy case, coal royalty revision, railway projects," he said.

Misra said state government was giving the land free of cost in many cases.

BJDs both Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha MPs ware present at the parliamentary board meeting.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will present her second Union Budget on February 1.