TOI reported that chief minister of Odisha Mr Naveen Patnaik criticized the centre for rejecting the Odisha government's demands for Special Category Status for the state and levy of Mineral Resource Rent Tax indicating the ruling BJD would press for the twin issues.

A day after deputy chairman, Planning Commission, Mr Montek Singh Ahluwalia saw no merit in Odisha's pursuit for SCS tag Mr Patnaik said that "In a federal country like India, the Centre cannot afford to ignore balanced regional development. The Odisha government will continue to fight for its just share,"

Mr Naveen said that "The Odisha government has been asking for SCS for some time now. The fact that the state has been performing well in the last decade in terms of growth and poverty reduction should not be used against the government for denying SCS."

Mr Navven said that "The reply (to a letter written by Naveen to PM in August) of the minister is nothing but a version of the mining lobby. It is a dilatory tactic to defer collection of additional tax from the super rich miners on the pretext of royalty revision and amendment of the MMDR (Mines and Minerals Development and Regulation) Act, which will take a long time.”

Reacting to Mr Patel's suggestion that the state government, instead of asking for MRRT could get additional revenue under the proposed MMDR Bill, 2011 tabled in the Parliament recently.

The CM further attacked Patel for not agreeing with him on miners earning super normal profits. He said that the state government has enough data to show miners are making abnormally high profits and if the Union government is serious about benefiting the people of affected areas, it should immediately impose the proposed tax instead of buying time and helping miners to make money everyday.

(Sourced from TOI)