Odisha shutdown to protest 'central neglect'

Bhubaneswar, April 20 (IANS) Odisha's ruling Biju Janata Dal Saturday called for a 12-hour state wide shutdown on April 26 to protest the alleged central neglect to the state by the Congress-led central government.

Accusing the central government of allocating an inadequate amount Rs.1,000 crore to Odisha for the next four years towards the backward region grant, the BJD said it would also organise protests across the state and stage a demonstration near the Raj Bhaban, the official residence of the state Governor S.C. Jamir April 22.

"It's most unfortunate that the central government is discriminating against Odisha on political considerations. This is a clear case of negligence to the state and a case of political injustice," chief minister and president of BJD Naveen Patnaik told reporters here.

On the other hand, state Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said the BJD government was not able to get more funds because of its own fault.

The state government is inefficient and was not able to utilise the funds already sanctioned by the central government, he alleged.