Development news of orissa and India

Bhubaneswar: Advocating a strong Lokpal in the country, chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday said that his government was committed to amending the existing law to make an effective Lokayukta in the state.

We are in favour of a strong Lokpal, and also an effective Lokayukta at the state level and shall take steps to amend the present law after the panchayat elections, Patnaik told reporters here.

Stating that the BJD’s stand on the Lokpal Bill had been made clear in the Lok Sabha yesterday, he said that as far as CBI is concerned, the anti-corruption wing of the agency should come under the Lokpal.

On allegation by opposition Congress that the BJD government was suppressing the state Lokayukta’s reports on Vedanta University, Patnaik claimed that a number of pending special reports had so far been cleared in the state cabinet.

We’ll bring rest of the Lokpal’s special reports to the cabinet shortly and then place them before the assembly as per procedure, he said.

Stating that he was very concerned over the health of Anna Hazare, the chief minister hoped early recovery of the Gandhian leader.

Bhubaneswar: The Centre on Wednesday sanctioned Rs 918.30 crore as flood assistance to Odisha besides agreeing to bear the expenses incurred towards air-dropping of food materials during relief operations in the state.

However, chief minister Naveen Patnaik smelt a rat from the point of timing of the announcement.

Though the Centre has provided the highest-ever amount as flood assistance, it will certainly help in the reconstruction activities in the flood-affected areas which the state government has already began, he said.

However, he was critical over the timing of release of the funds, stating that there is a smell of panchayat elections.

On the other hand, the Congress came down heavily on the chief minister for not expressing his thanks to the Centre for releasing the highest-ever flood assistance to Odisha.

Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Bhupinder Singh asked the chief minister to see that the funds were not used as BJD election expenditure, while urging the people to remain vigilant.

Instead of remaining obliged for the assistance, the chief minister saw motive behind the release of funds, Singh said while describing the former’s statement as unfortunate.

He lamented that the state government had been criticising the Centre for not releasing the flood assistance early and now when the funds were released, the chief minister was smelling a rat.

Meanwhile, Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) P K Mohapatra said that the state government has received a letter from the Centre confirming sanction of Rs 908.30 crore from National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) and Rs 10 crore from National Rural Drinking Water Scheme.

Stating that the state government had sought an assistance of Rs 3,265 crore from the Centre for relief, rescue and restoration activities in the flood affected districts, the SRC said that at least 21 of the 30 districts of the state were affected in the calamity.

The Centre has also agreed to bear the expenses of air-dropping of food materials. At least 82 sorties were made during the relief operation the cost of which could be Rs 3.1 crore, the SRC told reporters here, adding that the total assistance towards flood would be around Rs 921.40 crore.

The state had witnessed two spells of floods due to depression induced heavy rainfall at upper catchment areas of river Mahanadi, Brahmani, Baitarani and other major rivers of the state in the first week of September and middle of that month.

Besides a large number of live stocks, at least 87 persons were killed in the calamity and a large number of houses were damaged in the twin floods.

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Tuesday clarified that there is no question of waiver of water tax to any industrial establishments, which have drawn water illegally for their consumption from the water sources in the state.

Briefing newsmen here, water resources secretary Suresh Mohaptra rejected the allegation that a process has been initiated to waive dues towards water cess from any company, particularly Vedanta Alumina in Jharsuguda.

Admitting that there have been complaints against Vedanta for illegally drawing water for its Jharsuguda plants from the Hirakud reservoir, Mohapatra said that there is no question of the state government allowing Vedanta waiver of Rs 9 crore worth water tax and fine for drawing water illegally.

Stating that there is no undue sympathy shown to Vedanta or any other company, he said that steps would be taken to collect the huge amount of water cess from the company soon.

Earlier, during the just-concluded winter session of the State Assembly the issue of waiver of water cess to Vedanta was raised by the Opposition with documentary evidence.

They said that the executive engineer of Burla Main Division had recommended the additional secretary water resources for waiver of tax around Rs 9 crore.

They had alleged that while the state government was collecting water tax regularly from the farmers and collecting fines, Vedanta was shown favour despite the fact that company had drawn water without the legal authority from the government for its Jharsuguda plant.

Vedanta should have been charged with fines six times higher. However, the state government was clandestinely, trying to waive the fine and also the water tax to the company.