BHUBANESWAR: After Bihar being put in the special category state, it is West Bengal that has got away with a sop in the backdrop of the FDI controversy. Screaming foul, an anguished Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has taken strong exception to the Centre approving a special financial package for West Bengal while rejecting his demand for a special category state status to Odisha.Shooting off a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursay, the Chief Minister said that ‘’I have come to know from media reports that the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved a special package of Rs 8750 crore for five years for the development of the backward districts of West Bengal.’’ Odisha, on the other hand, has a provision of Rs 340 cr under the backward region grant fund (BRGF) for 2011-12 for 19 backward districts. The total central assistance for five years will be ` 1700 crore, he said. ‘’My proposal for the continuation of a special package for undivided KBK districts in the 12th Plan has not been considered so far. Would it not seem to you an injustice?,’’ he sought to know.The Chief Minister said that every part of the country should get benefiuts under the backward region grant fund. But the disparity between Rs 8750 crore and Rs 1700 crore seems to be quite glaring.Union Home Minister P Chidambaram during his visit to the state last month reviewed the security operation and development works of the State Government. ‘’I hope he has fully apprised you about the situation in my state,’’ he said.‘’I request you to sanction a similar special package for the backward districts of Odisha at an early date,’’ Patnaik said.The issue was also discussed at the meeting of the BJD legislature party here presided by the Chief Minister. The meeting decided to bring a motion on the issue during the winter session of the Assembly commencing on Friday.
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