Bhubaneswar : Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today reiterated its demand to constitute a tribunal to resolve the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattisgarh.
The CM, who attended the 12th Standing Committee of Inter-State Council meeting in New Delhi chaired by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, also demanded immediate halt of all ongoing construction activities in Mahanadi basin in Chhattisgarh for protecting the livelihood of the people of Odisha.
Patnaik also vehemently demanded enhancement in the minimum support price (MSP) for paddy from Rs 1,470 to Rs 2,930 per quintal and halt of ongoing Polavaram Dam Project in Andhra Pradesh as it would affect the Odisha’s interest. He also demanded immediate implementation of MM Punchhi Commission Recommendations on Centre-State Relations for a healthy federal structure of functioning.
The CM also raised issues concerning left wing extremism (LWE) and demanded for more Central assistance and deployment of paramilitary forces to check the spread of the Maoists in the State.The Standing Committee is led by the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and has the Union Ministers of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj, Finance and Corporate Affairs Arun Jaitley, Road, Transport and Highways, Shipping, Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation Nitin Gadkari and Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot and Chief Ministers of States of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tripura and Uttar Pradesh as members.