Odisha will not tolerate Central negligence any more: Patnaik

Biju Janata Dal president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Thursday said the state would no more tolerate "Central negligence".

"We will no more tolerate the Central negligence towards Odisha and its development," Patnaik said, addressing a public meeting at Amalipalli ground in Jharsuguda where Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 22 attended a BJP rally.

Patnaik has planned to follow Modi's trail and address public meetings where the opposition BJP held congregations during the past few months, according to a BJD official.

Assembly elections in Odisha are due along with the Lok Sabha election.

The chief minister also accused the Centre of "failing" to give justice to Odisha over Mahanadi river water row with Chhattisgarh and said the state had to move the court because of BJP-led government's "apathy".

He said a new airport was inaugurated at Jharsuguda with much fanfare in September, but it is non-functional now.

"There is no flight operation at the airport. I have told them (Centre) that Odisha will provide required funds for flight operation, but there has been no progress," Patnaik said.

The chief minister said he has demanded the introduction of a Shatabdi Express train from Bhubaneswar to Rourkela via Jharsuguda. "Let us see whether the Centre make any arrangement for train operation," he said.

Noting that Jharsuguda area is home to a number of coal mines, Patnaik came down heavily on the Centre accusing it of not revising the coal royalty.

"The coal royalty revision is pending since 2015. But, the Centre is not concerned over this. As a result, the state is losing thousands of crores of revenue," he said.

Patnaik said, "We will face pollution due to the coal mines, but not the benefit. You people should consider this issue."