Railway to airports, holistic development of southern Odisha demanded

BJD MP Sasmit Patra on Monday raised the issue of comprehensive development of southern Odisha districts during Zero Hour in Parliament, with a specific focus on infrastructure expansion. 

He reportedly sought targeted attention towards railways, national highways and airport development in districts including Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Rayagada, Koraput, Nabarangpur and Malkangiri.

Focus On Infrastructure Gaps

Highlighting regional imbalances, Patra stressed the need for improved connectivity to support economic and social development in southern Odisha. He said the absence of adequate railway links, highway expansion and airport facilities continued to hamper growth in the region, despite its strategic and developmental importance.

Budget Disappointment And Long-Pending Demands

Expressing dissatisfaction over the Union Budget, Patra said, “The budget, especially for my state of Odisha, has been rather very disappointing. Odisha faces a number of natural disasters. So we have been demanding a special category state status for almost two decades... We had been asking for a revision of the coal royalty... Despite Odisha giving 20 Lok Sabha MPs out of 21 to the government, we have not seen anything purposeful... I hope that the Union government will wake up and, for the first time, at least consider Odisha as a state that is to be provided something for the budget.”

He further noted that BJD chief Naveen Patnaik had repeatedly raised the demand for special category status for Odisha, but said the demand was not addressed. Patra also stated that there was no revision of coal royalty and that Odisha did not figure in high-speed rail projects, the Buddhist circuit or proposed industrial corridors.

Farmers’ Issues Raised In Parliament

Raising concerns related to agriculture, Patra said, “What do the farmers get, even today 'katni chatni' is happening, mandis are not opening, 150 limit is being capped for procurement. Even if there is procurement then tokens are not being provided, and if it is provided then the entire produce is not being lifted.”

He added that Naveen Patnaik had written to the Chief Minister on the issue and expressed hope that the Union government would reconsider Odisha’s concerns during budgetary planning.