Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and sought special category status for cyclone-hit Odisha.
The Odisha CM, who is the chief of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), also congratulated the PM on his electoral victory.
“I congratulated him on his electoral victory. I also requested him for special category status for Odisha as we’ve been hit by a cyclone recently, which did a great deal of damage,” he told reporters following the meeting.
According to reports, Patnaik sought financial aid of Rs 5000 crore during the meeting held in the PM’s residence at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg in New Delhi.
Patnaik said that he also asked for 5 lakh pucca houses for those affected by Cyclone Fani.
During the 30-minute talks between the two leaders, Patnaik also reportedly sought the revision of the coal royalty to help his state generate revenue.
The Centre had announced a relief package of Rs 340 crore before the cyclone hit the coastal state. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced an additional assistance of Rs 1,000 crore on his visit to Odisha following the cyclone.
On Saturday, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Pratap Sarangi said that they will impress upon PM Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman to formulate a special package of assistance for the hotel and tourism sector in Odisha in view of the damage cause by Cyclone Fani.
Pradhan said the centre had been proactive in assisting the state government in relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction work.
“I will plead for a special package for the tourism and hotel industry here and Puri which was worst hit by Fani on 3 May will be rebuilt to its past glory,” he said.
As steel minister, he said, the focus will be on ancillary industries to create employment opportunity.