Privilege notice against Odisha minister, BJP leader over

The Odisha Congress on Thursday served a privilege notice against Food Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister R P Swain and Leader of Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik over "contradictory" statements on the supply of kerosene.

Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha Mishra, while serving the notice, said the minister claimed that the Centre had reduced the annual kerosene quota for the state under the public distribution system (PDS).

Leader of Opposition, Naik of the BJP, meanwhile, stated outside the assembly that the central government did not slash the kerosene quota for Odisha.

"The minister and the Leader of Opposition have given contradictory remarks... One of them has given wrong information," Mishra said.

The shortage of kerosene in the state is due to "black marketing by ruling party members", Mishra alleged.

Speaker S N Patro said he will examine the privilege notice.