Odishatv Bureau
Bhubaneswar: Two days after observing a state-wide dawn-to-dusk 'hartal' on Friday to protest against Center's alleged discriminatory policies towards Odisha, the ruling BJD has taken the battle one step ahead.
 
Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik launched a signature campaign demanding allocation of more funds and special status for Odisha at Raj Bhawan on Sunday.
 
Pattnaik said," our campaign for special category status for our state has been started and we intend to collect more than one crore signatures and we will send it to the President of India."
 
Freedom fighter Purusottam Nayak, , Ministers, MPs, Legislators and many other eminent persons participated in the campaign.
 
The signature campaign is yet another move by the BJD against the centre after the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on April 18 approved allocation of funds of Rs 250 crore per annum for the Kalahandi-Bolangir-Koraput (KBK) region of Odisha under the Backward Region Grant Fund (BRGF) in 12th five year plan, while amount given to Bihar is far ahead from Odisha. The CCEA approved the allocation of enhanced funds for Bihar of Rs 12,000 crore as a special plan under the BRGF.
 
Chief minister Naveen Patnaik had showed his displeasure over less fund allocation for the KBK region. Patnaik had said that it's most unfortunate that the Central government is discriminating against Odisha on political considerations and this is a clear case of negligence to the state.
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