Focus on macro issues, leave micro issues to State: CM Naveen to Centre

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi: While extending full support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's idea of 'one nation, one election' at the all-party meeting in Delhi, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said that the Centre should leave micro issues to the State and focus only on macro issues.

"As regards development of Aspirational Districts, Centre should focus on macro issues like Tele density, Banking network and Railway reach. Micro issues may be left to the State to focus with support from Centre," read a BJD communique.

Moreover, at the all-party meeting, Patnaik strongly advocated a re-look into the Land Acquisition Act, the Forest Conservation Act and demanded that Central and state public sector undertakings should be treated on an equal footing for statutory requirements.

Patnaik, who has been demanding special category status for Odisha, said that natural disaster may be considered a criterion for special focus on states.

On the Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebration, Patnaik said he had earlier suggested the country to consider including the uniquely Indian idea of 'non-violence' or 'ahimsa', in the preamble of India's Constitution.

"This will ensure that future generations, not just of Indians but people around the world will be reminded of the profound truth of this (Ahimsa) principle," he said.

The CM further said that his party has been always supportive of whatever is being done in the interest of the country and its people, and it will continue to do so in future as well.