BJD MPs to raise special category status for Odisha in Parliament's winter session: Sasmit Patra

New Delhi [India], November 24 (ANI): Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra has said that his party MPs will raise the demand for special category status for Odisha in the coming winter session of the Parliament which will commence on Monday.
"In the all-party meeting in the Parliament House, the Biju Janata Dal placed many issues related to Odisha and its development... The most prominent issue is the demand for special category status for Odisha. Parliament members of the BJD will raise them. It has been a long pending and the centre has not provided it," Sasmit Patra told ANI.
He said the BJD parliament members will also raise the issues of the Polavaram Project, the Mahanadi River water dispute, and the need for the revision of coal royalty.
"We will raise the issues of Polavaram Project and the Mahanadi River water dispute. It has been long standing and the Centre is completely silent on it. Apart from that coal royalty has not been revised in the last ten years and Odisha has lost almost ten crore rupees because of it. And we will demand the revision of it," he said.
Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju asserted that the union government is "ready to discuss any topic" while calling for a peaceful session of Parliament.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday after the all-party meeting in Delhi, Rijiju said several topics were raised requesting for discussion in Parliament as winter session is scheduled to kick off tomorrow.
"A total of 42 leaders from 30 political parties were present in the meeting. There are many topics. Everyone has asked for discussion on some topics but we want that there should be a good discussion in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The government is ready to discuss any topic. Our only request is that the House should run well and there should be no ruckus. Every member wants to participate in the discussion but the House should run well. To run the winter session well, everyone's cooperation is needed and everyone's participation is necessary," Kiren Rijiju said.
The all-party meeting in the national capital began at 11 am in the Main Committee Room, at Parliament House Annexe in the national capital. The meeting was presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Congress MPs Jairam Ramesh, Pramod Tiwari and K Suresh along with JD(U) MP Upendra Kushwaha and other leaders joined the meeting. PV Midhun Reddy (YSRCP), V Vijaysai Reddy (YSRCP), Sasmit Patra (BJD), Vaiko (MDMK), Ramgopal Yadav (SP), K Suresh (Congress), Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu (TDP) were also present.
The winter session of Parliament will begin tomorrow, November 25, and will continue till December 20. (ANI)