In a social media post, Pradhan said the State government has taken a decision after a very long period.
“But still, the Government of India and I will lend all kinds of support for the establishment of the Odia language varsity,” wrote the Union Minister in his post.
Citing that the Centre has proposed a Paika Rebellion memorial in the State and a request has been made to the State for allotment of land on the foothills of Barunei in Khurda, Pradhan expressed hope that the Heritage Cabinet will take a decision on land allotment and the State would cooperate in executing the decision.
No comments from the State government have been received yet.
Pradhan in his letter stated, “As the construction and development of the airport takes considerable time, this process needs to be hastened to avoid severe air traffic congestions and public inconvenience.”
Pradhan pointed out that the process of identification of a suitable piece of land near Khurda, on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, is underway.
Besides, Pradhan urged Prabhu to set up of a new terminal at the Biju Patnaik International Airport and to revamp facilities at the existing two terminals.
He also sought Prabhu's intervention in early implementation of Centre’s UDAN scheme to kick start flight services from Jeypore, Rourkela and Utkela. Moreover, Pradhan sought early completion of expansion work of Jharsuguda Airport runway to handle bigger aircrafts and commercial flights.
The Union petroleum minister has also urged the Civil Aviation minister to upgrade an existing private airstrip at Angul for flight operations under UDAN-2 scheme, revamp of an airstrip at Amarda Road in Mayurbhanj district and development of an airline industrial hub in Bhubaneswar by setting up of ancillary industries.
In the first phase, piped gas will be provided to 255 families in Nalco Nagar in Bhubaneswar under the Pradhan Mantri Urja Ganga Yojana.
Later the piped gas facility will be extended to Cuttack, Khurda, Puri, Kendrapara, Bhadrak, Jajpur, Dhenkanal, Angul, Jharsuguda, Sambalpur, Sundergarh, Deogarh and Jagatsinghpur in phases, the GAIL official added.
He added construction of four CNG stations is underway to facilitate the piped gas system.
Replying to a media query on chances of the Kendrapara MP’s joining the saffron party, Pradhan said, “Good people are always welcome to the party with open arms. If they believe in the Prime Minister and the party national president’s leadership and support party ideologies, they are welcome.”
Republic TV channel, on Friday, had telecast a report titled ‘Jay Panda joining Team Shah’ speculating the BJD MP is joining the saffron party.
On Mahanadi water issue, Pradhan further stated, “The Mahanadi water and Kalma barrage issues raised by the Odisha government have already been presented before the Union Water Resource Minister with a request to direct the Central Water Commission (CWC) to take steps to resolve it. In no way the State’s interests will be compromised.”
Bhubaneswar: The ruling-BJD today leveled charges against senior BJP leader and Union Petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan for violation of model code of conduct which is in force for the ensuing Panchayat polls.
A team led by BJD general secretary, Debashis Samantray today approached the State Election Commission (SEC) alleging that the Pradhan during a College function in Dhenkanal had announced assistance of Rs 20,000 crore for the periphery development of the district, which was in violation of the model code of conduct.
Also Read: Panchayat polls: 2.2 lakh file nominations, final list on Jan 21
“The Union minister had attended a function at the Dhenkanal Autonomous College as chief guest and announced that Rs 20,000 crore investments will be made for the peripheral and industrial development in and around the district which will boost employment. This was a blatant and gross violation of election code of conduct, alleged Samantray.
On the other hand, the State BJP lodged a counter complaint with the SEC alleging that the ruling party in the State of misusing its power for the Panchayat elections.
“Our question was how the 5 lakh officials conducting the election will be able to exercise their franchise. Hence, either postal ballot or any other special arrangements should be made,” said Odisha BJP leader, Lekhashree Samantsinghar.
Another raid on Soumendra’s agency in Talcher, Pradhan Gas Agency, was conducted by a 5-member team of Vigilance and Food Supply & Consumer Welfare departments led by Cuttack Vigilance division DSP. Stock register, cash memo and sales register were seized during the raid.
According to sources, cases have been registered against 4 including Soumendra over irregularities in LPG distribution and adulteration under sections 120(B), 420 of IPC and sections 7 & 8 of Indian Explosives Act.
“Cases have been registered against four persons based on complaints, including proprietor of Pradhan Gas Services Talcher, Soumendra Pradhan, proprietor of Pradhan Gas Agency. On the day of the raid on January 14, 40 LPG cylinders were delivered to a specific person,” said Vigilance Director, RP Sharma.
Notably, Vigilance sleuths continued their raids on petrol stations and gas agencies today over reported theft and adulteration. The raids were conducted on 9 gas agencies across 6 districts of Odisha.
Also Read: Vigilance raids continue at petrol stations, gas agencies across Odisha
However, such raids are being questioned on grounds of countering allegations that Dharmendra Pradhan was the target behind the solitary raid on his brother’s agency on Saturday. The Odisha BJP voiced its allegations accusing the State government of being scared.
“The State government has raided around 15-17 rural gas agencies. This has exposed the fear of the State government towards Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY). The State government should stop such activities during the time of election and in violation of model code of conduct,” said General Secretary of Odisha BJP, Prithviraj Harichandan.
“Many allegations will be made but routine work cannot be stopped during Panchayat elections. Defrauding people is a crime and to control it is the duty of the administration. Hence, it is an administrative decision rather than a political one,” countered ruling-BJD spokesperson, Amar Satpathy.
The five-member BJP team including Pradhan are scheduled to reach Dariguda and Kalkunda villages of the district which are most affected by the Encephalitis and have talks with the locals. Besides, the team will visit the Malkangiri district headquarters hospital to assess the situation followed by discussion with elders of the locality.
Informing the newsmen about the BJP team’s Malkangiri visit, Panda said, “Tomorrow the team including the Union Oil Minister will tour the district to know the ground reality and have talks with locals followed by a visit the district headquarters hospital. The team will submit a report to the Centre so that a way will be found out how it will involve itself more into the distribution of assistance to Odisha, which is already going on.”
Panda further stated, “Earlier, the Union Oil Minister’s visit, scheduled to be on November 4, was deferred on basis of a recommendation from the State government asking him not to tour the areas on the day.”
When informed about the demands made by BJD asking for the Prime Minister’s visit to Malkangiri district, Panda retorted, “The chief minister and BJD party supremo must have gone to the encephalitis-hit areas which is why the ruling party leaders are asking for a tour of the Prime Minister to the district. From his action, it seems the chief minister is having so much knowledge but lacks common sense.”
Mounting his attacks on the ruling party, Panda added, “The Chief Minister has never visited either Nagada or the Sishu Bhavan in Cuttack or the Malkangiri district where child deaths occurred. First he (Patnaik) should make a self-assessment and try to reach out the people of the State as they have reposed their faith on BJD during past four Assembly elections.”
Also read: Dharmendra Pradhan for fact-finding team to probe Odisha children deaths
He further stated, “Due to the inept attitude and incompetency of the ruling party, Odisha is facing humiliation and shame. The Chief Minister and BJD should think how people of the State should be able to raise their head with pride again.”
The BJP state unit chief said from the day child deaths begun in Malkangiri district due to the encephalitis, the party volunteers has been providing of milk, warm water and creating awareness in the affected areas.
Meanwhile, with two more child deaths at the Malkangiri district headquarters hospital today, the number of deaths has reached 105 so far.
“I hope that within 2-3 months - tentatively by November - we would lay the foundation stone for the revival of the plant, which would run on coal-to-liquid technology. The plant would be a blessing for the farmers of our country. To ensure the coal gasification technology for the plant, we had a review meeting here today,” Kumar told media persons after the meeting.
The Union minister also said the ministry of Fertilisers and Chemicals, ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, ministry of Coal and ministry of Energy are jointly working for the revival of the plant.
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was also present in the meeting, informed the media that a joint venture company has been formed in the name of Talcher Fertiliser Company. “I hope that the coal gasification technology for the plant will be finalised in a couple of months after which Engineers India Ltd (EIL) would be roped in for project management coordination. The ministry would then float tenders for the renovation work of the plant. Efforts are on to complete the tendering process and lay the foundation stone for the revival of the plant in the current fiscal,” Pradhan added.
Of the annual requirement of 80 lakh metric tonnes of urea fertiliser in the country, the Talcher plant will produce 13 lakh metric tonnes per annum.
Addressing a function organised by the Cuttack Youth association on Sunday, Pradhan said, “Lulu Mohapatra is like my elder brother. He is an inspiration for the youth of the State due to his youthfulness and style of functioning.”
Pradhan did not restrict himself to just praising the senior Congress leader, but went on to hug Mohapatra after finishing his address.
Reacting to the Union minister’s statement, Mohapatra stated, “There is a family relationship between us. Besides, from the student days, Pradhan was our representative at Utkal University.”
Bhubaneswar: Mounting a scathing attack on Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government in Odisha, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday alleged that it is resorting to shadow-boxing with the Central government.
“Accusing the Centre of neglecting Odisha is like lighting a lantern in day time. The BJD government has unleashed a proxy war against the Centre,” Pradhan told mediapersons here. The State will be benefitted the most from the Centre’s two or three decisions of national importance, he added.
Criticizing the state government’s recent decision to increase value-added tax (VAT) on petrol and diesel, the Union minister said it is not a model system. Besides, he informed, the Centre is going to invest Rs 1 lakh crore in petroleum sector.
Addressing the gathering at a public meeting to mark BJD’s anniversary on Friday, party supremo Patnaik had accused the Centre of neglecting the State.
Meanwhile, BJD spokesperson Amar Satapathy said this is not a fight between state and center.
“Whenever the interest of the state will be hampered, we will raise our voice,” he added.
"I appeal to the state government to set politics aside and augment efforts being taken by the Central government in creating employment opportunities for the youth in Odisha," said Pradhan at the National Scheduled Caste- Scheduled Tribe (SC-ST) Hub Regional Conclave and Exhibition in the state capital.
"Odisha has about 40% tribal and Dalit population. If we take the backward and poor people into account, 85% are living in rural areas. But for them, the biggest problem is unemployment. They are leaving their homes in search of jobs to other states," he said.
Pradhan said National SC-ST hub launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has become a mass movement in the MSME sector.
This initiative is a unique programme of grooming the SC-ST entrepreneurs who can create job opportunities for hundreds of youths, he added.
The Minister said the common facility center set up in the new Integrated Marketing Development Centre, 'Dharmapada Bhawan' will impart quality skill training and provide information as well as guidance to aspiring SC-ST entrepreneurs.
Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram said that an MoU signed between the National Small Industries Corporation (NSIC) and SAP would provide a designed module to SC-ST entrepreneurs through advanced software.
He advised young entrepreneurs to start new ventures to sell the minor forest produce and organic Agri products available in tribal-dominated districts.
Minister of State (Independent Charge) for MSME, Giriraj Singh said 'one district one product' scheme will be launched soon in Odisha.
He asked the ministry to conduct a survey of districts in the state on the potentials of starting new MSME units in aromatic, agro, marine food processing, organic food marketing, turmeric and ginger processing and other sections.
He said farmers of Kandhamal district will be taken to Maharashtra for a field visit to witness agro clusters in Maharashtra.
Singh also said 50,000 agro-entrepreneurs will be imparted training in Odisha.
The request came few days after Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik urged the Prime Minister to set up a hub of Tata Memorial Centre here.
Pradhan informed Modi that the Institute of Physics, Bhubaneswar, which is under the administrative control of Department of Atomic Energy, has submitted a proposal for providing budgetary allocation for the establishment of a hub of Tata Memorial Centre in its campus.
The Department of Atomic Energy gives grant-in-aid and manages the Tata Memorial Centre.
"The proposed hub will provide affordable care for cancer patients of the state and will also initiate and lead an advanced research in this field of research as well as complex biological system," he said, adding that the centre will be equivalent to the ones planned at Chandigarh and Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
He said that a lot of patients from Odisha and neighbouring states, who visit Tata Memorial Centre at Mumbai, face problem due to long waiting period and expensive cost of living at Mumbai.
The proposed hub would serve the cancer patients of Odisha and neighbouring states, he added.
Pradhan wrote three separate letters to Health Minister J.P. Nadda, Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi and Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram seeking teams from their ministries go to Nagada village, where 19 children died due to malnutrition in last three months.
It is reported that not less than 19 kids have died in a short span of few months. On the spot visits have also indicated that the deaths were due to severe malnutrition and lack of health care in the locality, he said.
The village is inhabited by primitive Juang tribal community.
"Despite National Food Security Act being in force, hunger deaths in the mineral rich and industrially progressive district is shocking. It has come to light that the village has been left out of all developmental schemes. Exclusion of tribals from the NFS Act, ICDS programme and MNREGA have led to increased impoverishment," said Pradhan.
He said though the village is inhabited by tribals, they have not been allotted forest land under the Forest Rights Act.
"There is no road connectivity to Nagada village. The tribals use forest track and cover 10 km by walking to get any service or benefit available under various scheme," said the Minister.
He said it is a matter of regret that 45,536 children in Odisha are suffering from acute malnutrition out of which 894 are from Jajpur.
The plant is proposed to be set up by Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) at Baulsingha in the district, he said.
BPCL has already appointed Project Management Consultant for early commencement of developmental activities at the site.
To support the Centre's Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, Oil PSUs have decided to set up 12 Second Generation (2G) ethanol bio-refineries in 11 states, as an effective tool for development of rural economy.
The programme is being implemented to promote the use of alternative and environment-friendly fuels.
BPCL had requested the state government through the Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL) for allocation of land in November, 2016.
"Even after elapse of almost one year, land allotment for the project is yet to be done. This is adversely affecting the project, which is being pursued in the interest of the people of Odisha," a statement from the Petroleum ministry said.
This bio-refinery will also necessitate setting up of around 10 decentralised biomass collection depots in a radius of 50 km, it said, adding, there will be quantum jump in the labour and transportation activities, too.
Feedstock for the plant will be agricultural waste, crop, residues from the adjoining area, which will be converted into ethanol and bio-manure.
While ethanol produced from this bio-refinery will supplement the EBP Programme, bio-manure will get consumed in the nearby areas, thereby improving soil fertility, the statement said.
The estimated feedstock consumption for this plant is 1,30,000 MT per annum, and it is expected to generate a value of Rs 8 crore per annum for farmers for their agricultural waste, it said.
"Additionally, this venture will provide opportunity for rural entrepreneurs to generate direct and indirect employment for 800-1,000 persons, thereby generating additional income of Rs 10-12 crore per annum," the statement added.
He also launched a new scheme providing concession of Rs.1,600 to BPL families on new gas connections in the country. The move is aimed to make cooking gas easily available to consumers.
"While the subsidised five-kg LPG cylinder will be available only at regular LPG distributor, market-priced cooking gas cylinders can be bought without prior booking and minimal paper work at petrol pumps, gas agencies and some grocery stores," he said here after launching the scheme.
The consumers will avail the benefits till the end of March 2015, the minister said.
He said the government is also considering to provide one-kg, two-kg, three-kg gas cylinders to the poor people. The minister stressed on bringing the gas penetration in Odisha at par with national level.
While Odisha has around one crore households, the gas connections number only 25 lakh, far below the national average.
The party flag will also be installed at the houses of all the leaders, workers and activists of the BJP in Odisha as part of party’s mass mobilisation drive ahead of the general elections.
During the programme, Pradhan urged all the people to vote Prime Minister Narendra Modi back to power in the elections. “The campaign will reach all the BJP workers, activists, youths and well-wishers who support Narendra Modi as their next PM," said Pradhan.
On being asked about the BJP’s Mission 120+ in Odisha, Pradhan said, “Little drops of water make a mighty ocean and BJP is a worker-based party. If the party was able to make a strong government in the country, it was mainly because of the contribution of its workers and activists.”
Many senior leaders and activists of the BJP were present at Pradhan's house during the event today.
In a letter, Pradhan requested the Chief Minister to implement reservation provisions for OBCs and Social and Economically Backward Classes (SEBCs) in government jobs and educational institutions in Odisha.
"As you are aware, the OBCs and SEBCs constitute a considerable portion of the total population in Odisha, many of whom also face the scourge of poverty and illiteracy necessitating a special treatment to the communities both in the field of education and employment," said Pradhan.
He said the Central government has provided 27 per cent of reservations to OBCs in government jobs as well as in educational institutions to promote the welfare of OBCs which was also upheld by the Supreme Court.
Many states have preferred a higher reservation for the special categories keeping in view the large percentage of these groups in the population, he added.
"I would like to highlight the fact that both OBCs and SEBCs in Odisha have been deprived from higher education as well as public employment on account of their socio-economic backwardness. Therefore, in order to ensure their representation, it is desirable that the Government of Odisha must provide reservation to both OBCs and SEBCs," said the Minister.
Government of Odisha is not providing any reservation to OBCs and SEBCs in public employment or educational institutions.
Speaking at a programme here jointly organised by the Steel ministry, CII and Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, Pradhan said that with a large market, policy reforms, abundance of raw material, India is one of the most attractive global investment destinations in the steel sector. He also lauded Japan's technological competence.
Pradhan emphasised on collaborations between India and Japan to increase the usage of steel.
Highlighting the government's aim of reaching a $5 trillion economy, he said that various policy reforms and government's initiatives like Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, 'Har Ghar Jal Yojana', increase in pace of construction in railways and roads, creation of a gas-based economy, creation of new agri-storage facilities and many others are set to drive steel demand growth.
Pradhan, who is also the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas stated that in the next 20 years, India will be the largest energy market in the world.
Around $60 billion is being invested in creation of energy infrastructure in the country and addition of about 16,000 km of gas pipelines will further give boost to the steel demand, he added.
(IANS)