Spl category state status demand for Odisha top on BJD's agenda: Patra

THE BJD on Tuesday said the demand for special category state status for Odisha will remain top on its agenda during the upcoming budget session of the Parliament beginning February 1.

- EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @Bhubaneswar

After the meeting of the BJD parliamentary party presided over by party president Naveen Patnaik, Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra told mediapersons that the BJP had promised special category state status for Odisha in its election manifesto for 2014 polls but has forgotten it now.

"If Odisha cannot be specified as a special category state for whatever reasons given by the Centre, it should be made a special focus state," he said.