Odisha CM to raise Special Category Status at NITI Ayog meeting

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday said he would raise the Special Category Status issue before the Centre at NITI Ayog Governing Council meeting scheduled to begin on Sunday.

I will demand special category status to Odisha. Besides, I will seek appointments with some Central ministers to discuss issues related to Odisha.- Naveen Patnaik.

The Chief Minister left Delhi on a five-day tour to attend the meeting of NITI Aayog’s Governing Council headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

What is Special Category Status (SCS)

If Odisha gets special category status (SCS), it would receive more central assistance for inclusive development of the state.

The SCS is granted to historically disadvantaged states based on a number of features of the states. These includes hilly and difficult terrain, low population density or the presence of sizeable tribal population, strategic location along international borders, economic and infrastructural backwardness and non-viable nature of State finances.