Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Sunday said that poverty rate in his state will be reduced to 10 per cent in the next five years.

Patnaik said this while addressing BJD party leaders and workers on its 25th Foundation Day.

Stating that there has been a huge change between Odisha of 2000 and Odisha of now, he said Odisha is the leading state in the country in poverty reduction.

The poverty rate in Odisha has been reduced to 29 per cent from 63 per cent and 80 lakh people have been brought above poverty line in the last 21 years, he said.

“The State will create history by reducing poverty to 10 per cent in the next five years with the cooperation of all. Our government will take the necessary steps to achieve the target,” the Chief Minister said.

Patnaik said Odisha has got international recognition in disaster management and received appreciation from everyone including the UN and Niti Aayog.

“There was a day when we depended upon other states for food. But, now the situation has changed and Odisha today became the third largest food supplying state in the country,” he pointed out.

Giving the credit to the farmers for the achievement, Patnaik said, “it also reflects our commitment to expand irrigation facilities in the State.”

Informing about steps taken by his government for empowerment of women, he said, Odisha is also ahead of other states in providing 50 per cent reservation to women in Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

The BJD would continue its fight till the demand for reservation of 33 per cent of seats in Parliament is fulfilled, he further said.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, he said, the state has attracted investment of over Rs 4 lakh crore, which is highest in the country. The government has also provided free treatment to people and supplied oxygen to 17 states during the pandemic, he further said at the meeting.

Indirectly hitting out at opposition BJP and Congress, the BJD president said, “We do not have any boss in Delhi. The people of Odisha are the boss of the BJD. Whatever we do is for the people in Odisha and their rights. We are only accountable to the people in Odisha for our deeds.”