Prez poll: BJD MPs asked to extend full support Murmu

Bhubaneswar, Jul 16 (IANS): Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president Naveen Patnaik on Saturday asked his party MPs to extend full support to NDA presidential candidate Draupadi Murmu.

“The daughter of Odisha Draupadi Murmu has been nominated to the highest office of our country. It is indeed a matter of honor and pride for our state. On behalf of the people of Odisha and BJD, we need to extend our full support to her candidature in the presidential election to be held on July 18,” Patnaik told his party MPs.

The Chief Minister held a meeting with the BJD MPs virtually to discuss issues to be raised during the monsoon session of parliament beginning from July 18.

“We are neglected in matters of railways, banking, tele density, payment of coal royalty and clean energy cess and the construction of coastal highway. All the above critically important issues concerning the interest of Odisha need to be raised in the Parliament,” Patnaik said in the meeting.

The CM said during his meeting with the Prime Minister on May 30 at New Delhi, he had discussed several issues concerning the state’s interest and sought the support of the central government on all the issues.

“I would impress upon all of you to take up all the pending issues with the concerned ministries so that these are sorted out in a time bound manner,” he told the BJD MPs.

He also asked the MPs to peruse the union government about evacuation of 5 lakh MT of surplus fortified parboiled rice from the state for the crop season 21-22, withdrawal of export duty on the below 58 percent grade ore and pellets, sanction of 1.84 lakh PMAY (G) (special houses) to the cyclone Fani affected families, exemption of DMF trust from the purview of income tax from 2022-23 onwards.

The BJD president further asked the MPs to peruse the center for speeding up of pending railway projects in the state, implementation of the Swaminathan Committee recommendations on minimum support price (MSP) for paddy in the interest of our farmers, 33 per cent reservation for women in both assembly and parliament and constitution of Odisha legislative council.

“Our demand for special category status and inclusion of ‘Ho’ language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution needs to be followed up and pursued vigorously,” he added.