Naveen Patnaik 'disappointed' with Budget over no special status for Odisha

Former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called the Union Budget a "disappointment" for ignoring the state's demand for a special category status while allocating crores of funds to Andhra Pradesh and Bihar. Patnaik, whose party was recently ousted by the BJP in the Odisha Assembly polls, said the demand for revision of coal royalty was also rejected by the Centre, due to which the state would lose thousands of crores of revenue every year.

PM Narendra Modi and former Odisha Chief Minister

"There has been nothing substantial for Odisha over the years, and this Budget has also been a disappointment for us," the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo said.

"The 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 have been announced for Andhra Pradesh and Bihar," Patnaik said.