Oram urges Centre for more funds for developmental projects

New Delhi, Aug 20 (UNI) Former union minister and state BJP President Jual Oram has urged the Central Government to release sufficient funds for the ongoing developmental projects in Orissa.

Mr Oram said the Union Finance Minister should give priority to the completion of the Railway projects, National Highway projects and ports in the eastern Indian state.

The Railways Minister should also allocate sufficient funds for the Talcher-Bimlagarh line and early completion of the Keonjhar-Daitari project, said the Lok Sabha Member from Sundergarh.

The Urban Development Ministry should sanction funds for the completion of the National Highway 23 and 215, which runs through the tribal belts of the state.

Talking about the plights of the farmers, he said the government should take steps to arrest the suicides by the small farmers in the country.

Easy bank loans should be made available through the banks to the unemployed youths, small and marginal farmers, he said.

It was an irony that the government wanted to deinvest the shares of NALCO, but interested to buy back the Paradeep Phosphates Limited at port city of Paradeep.

NALCO was a profit making public sector organisation and the government should desist from disinvesting its shares, he added.

In a letter to the Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Mr Oram had raised the issue of loss of revenue to Orissa due to Tax Deduction Account Number (TAN) of companies in other states but having factories in Orissa.

He said the Orissa government in its reply assured him that the matter was being looked into and would take steps to rectify the anomalies.

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