Odisha will continue to seek special category state status: CM

Bhubaneswar: Odisha will continue to raise its demand before the Centre for special category status (SCS) to the State, said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today.

Replying to a media query, Patnaik stated, "We have always demanded special category status for Odisha and are doing so again."

Yesterday, BJD Parliamentary Party leader Bhartruhari Mahtab said the State government will intensify its demand for the SCS tag if the Centre grants the same to Andhra Pradesh.

Speaking to OTV, the Cuttack MP had said, "Odisha has been demanding special category state status since long. However, if the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh gets the status, we will make our demand more vocal.”

Mahtab’s statement came after TDP of Andhra Pradesh snapped ties with the NDA following rejection of its demand for a special category state status.

The Odisha Chief Minister had recently reiterated the State's demand for SCS tag during a meeting with NITI Aayog vice chairman Rajiv Kumar at the Secretariat in Bhubaneswar.