BJP criticises Patnaik's move on Posco issue

Taking a dig at Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his appeal to the Centre to hold a high level meeting to resolve the Posco issue, BJP today asked Odisha government to make its stand clear on the South Korean steel major's proposed Rs 52,000 crore project near Paradip.
"The state government has been trying to cover up its failure to implement Posco project even 10 years after signing the MoU. Now, they try to involve the Centre just to shift responsibility and mislead people," senior BJP leader and former industries minister B B Harichandan said.
Harichandan was referring to Patnaik's meeting with Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on October 22 in Delhi. Patnaik during the meeting had urged the the union minister to organise a high level meeting to resolve the Posco issue.

Stating that the MoU with Posco became null and void in 2010, Harichandan said the state government needs to sign a fresh agreement with the South Korean company for setting up the proposed plant. The new agreement should have provision on how the state will benefit from the Posco project.
"The Chief Minister should take up the matter with the Centre only after signing the fresh agreement. Therefore, Patnaik's move has no meaning without having a formal agreement for the project," Harichandan said.
On the issue of providing long term raw material linkage to Posco, Harichandan said the state government as well as Posco are aware that as per the new MMDR Act all the new mines will be leased out through auction route.

"Patnaik's bid to get iron ore mines through recommendation is just to mislead the people and an attempt to blame the Centre," he said.
Harichandan also blamed the state government for using force for land acquisition for Posco.
Asked whether he supported Posco project as the industries minister in 2005, Harichandan said: "I had then opposed the iron ore swapping clause that was part of the MoU signed in 2005 with Posco.