Bhubaneswar, February 14 – The opposition Biju Janata Dal intensified its criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Saturday, questioning its commitment to a decade-old promise to secure special category status for Odisha.
BJD MP Sasmit Patra, speaking at a press conference here, said the demand remains unresolved despite the BJP’s 2014 manifesto pledging to work towards granting the status for the state’s overall development.
"The Odisha BJP in 2014 promised that it would strive for the special category status for the state. It has been two years since they have been in power, but they have not made any progress on the special category status for Odisha," the BJD MP alleged.
Patra referred to recent parliamentary disclosures indicating that the Union government has no proposal under consideration, arguing that this weakens the credibility of the "double-engine" governance claim.
"This raises a serious question about the BJP government, which said that if it came to power, it would work towards the special category status for Odisha," he said.
The MP urged the BJP government led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to adopt a Cabinet resolution formally seeking Special Category status from the Centre on behalf of the people of the state.
"The demand for special status is not mere politics; it is intrinsically linked to the state’s long-standing developmental and economic concerns," Patra said.
He reiterated that the issue reflects Odisha’s structural economic challenges and called for immediate political and administrative intervention.
The BJP came to power in Odisha on June 12, 2024, ending the 24-year rule of the BJD led by former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. In the Assembly elections held on June 4, the BJP secured a majority with 78 seats in the 147-member House, later strengthened by the support of two independents.
Patra said Odisha’s case for Special Category status is reinforced by socio-economic indicators.
Data from the NITI Aayog Multidimensional Poverty Index and the state Economic Survey 2024-25 place the poverty rate at 15.68 per cent. Though this marks an improvement, officials note that poor nutrition, limited access to clean cooking fuel and gaps in sanitation continue to affect development outcomes.
Scheduled Tribes account for 22.8 per cent of the state’s population, while Scheduled Castes constitute about 17 per cent.
Odisha also remains highly vulnerable to recurring natural disasters, especially cyclones, which place sustained pressure on public finances.