Patnaik completes 19 years as Odisha CM

As he completed 19 years in the office, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Tuesday claimed his government had fulfilled the promises made to the people of Odisha before the 2014 elections.

Patnaik said this while presiding over the Council of Ministers meeting at the state secretariat which was for the first time telecast live on television channels.

Assembly elections in Odisha would be held along with the Lok Sabha elections.

"The four-and-half crore people of Odisha is my family. We have fulfilled promises made to the people before the 2014 elections and will continue to do so in future also," Patnaik said.

He claimed that his government had met the aspirations of women, youth, slum dwellers, farmers and different categories of people.

While reviewing performance of his government, Patnaik highlighted the newly-launched Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (Kalia) scheme.

During the last 60 days, financial assistance to the tune of Rs 1,600 crore has been disbursed to more than 32 lakh small and marginal farmers and landless agricultural labourers through direct benefit transfer.

Patnaik also transferred the financial assistance to another 4.8 lakh beneficiaries of Kalia scheme to their bank accounts. The second instalment of Rs 5,000 each will be released on April 1 on Utkal Divas.

The chief minister recalled that he had held the Council of Ministers meeting on the first day his government came to power for the fourth time on May, 2014.

Then, the poll manifesto of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), was accepted as the state government's agenda for the next five years.

Patnaik for the first time had taken oath of the office as the chief minister on March 5, 2000. He has been elected thrice after that in 2004, 2009 and 2014.

March 5, the birth anniversary of legendary Biju Patnaik, is observed as Panchayati Diwas. The ruling party has been named after Biju Patnaik.

Naveen Patnaik is the younger son of Biju Patnaik.