BYJD, BCJD announce economic blockade in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, Jul 30 (UNI) The Biju Yuva Janata Dal and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal, the two frontal organisations of the ruling Biju Janata Dal(BJD), today announced economic blockade in mineral rich areas and rail roko agitations across the state from September to protest the ''stepmotherly'' attitude of the Centre towards Orissa.

A resolution in this regard, passed unanimously at the ''Bikas Samavesh'' organised by the two frontal organisations, said when the state under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik was emerging as a leading state in the country, the 'apathetic' attitude of the Congress-led UPA government in providing central aid was a deterrent in the path of development.

Condemning the Centre for its continuous negligence, the resolution, strongly opposed the National Mineral Policy 2008 which it said was against the interest of the state and formulated under the pressure of multinational companies.

The resolution also demanded the union government to stop the export of mineral, revise the royalty and reconsider the suggestions of the chief ministers of mineral rich states submitted to the Centre under Mr Patnaik's leadership.

The convention criticised the Centre for neglecting the state in railway sector, saying that though the Railways was making a profit of Rs 5000 crore per annum in the state it was spending less than Rs 900 crore for the development of railways in there.

During the last 60 years the Centre had not laid 1000 km of railway track in Orissa as a result of which many districts remained backward in the absence of railway lines, the resolution said.

In another resolution, the Bikas Samillani condemned the Centre for slashing the assistance for the development of KBK region and strongly criticized the ''secret ''agreement the Congress had signed with JMM Chief Sibu Soren to merge three districts of the state with Jharkhand.

Stating that not an inch of land would be given, the resolution appealed to BJD activists to launch a statewide movement against the move.

UNI BD-DP KK AB SB RK1858