Former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal president Naveen Patnaik criticised the union budget presented today, highlighting unmet promises made by the BJP. “BJP had put special category status in their manifesto as a promise to the people of Odisha, however, this promise has not been considered for Odisha, whereas special packages, allocating crores of funds have been announced for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar,” Patnaik remarked.

Patnaik also expressed concern over the rejection of Odisha’s demand for a revision of coal royalty, stating, “The state will lose thousands of crores of revenue every year.” He added, “There is no mention of any promise being fulfilled in this budget. This is a complete neglect of Odisha and her people.”

He highlighted the state’s repeated requests for disaster management aid, saying, “We had requested for a special package for disaster management. While similar requests of other states have been considered, the genuine demand of Odisha on disaster management has not been considered.”

Patnaik emphasised the central government’s neglect, stating, “Whether it is a special package or revision of coal royalty, Odisha continues to be neglected by the NDA.”

Addressing broader issues, he noted, “The most serious issue being faced by the common public is inflation/price rise, and unemployment. This budget does not have any considerable intervention to address these two major issues.”

Commenting on the Polavaram issue, Patnaik stated, “Allocating more and more funds for Polavaram without sorting out the genuine grievances of Odisha shows impartiality against Odisha.” He pointed out the ongoing lack of substantial support for Odisha, saying, “There has been nothing substantial for Odisha over the years, and this budget has also been a disappointment for us.”

Despite his criticisms, Patnaik acknowledged a positive aspect, “I’m happy to see there is a focus on Tourism for Odisha. I hope it is substantial, and we shall wait for the details to come out.” Concluding, he expressed his discontent, “Along with the people of Odisha, I feel disappointed at the continued neglect of Odisha while the state contributes so much to the country.”