Bhubaneswar: After the state government’s announcement to grant Municipal Corporation status to Puri, the demand to accord similar status to Balasore has gained fresh momentum.
Senior Congress leader and former PCC president Niranjan Patnaik’s son Nabajyoti Patnaik has once again reiterated the long-standing demand to upgrade Balasore town to a Municipal Corporation.
Nabajyoti stated that the state government has already granted Municipal Corporation status to Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Rourkela, and Brahmapur, representing central, western, and southern Odisha. However, Balasore, a prominent cultural and commercial hub in northern Odisha, continues to be neglected by the state government.
He questioned why such step-motherly treatment was being shown to Balasore. Despite repeated demands during the tenure of the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government, the state failed to respond to this legitimate request.
Now, Nabajyoti Patnaik has appealed to the current Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to officially declare Balasore as the next Municipal Corporation. While welcoming the move to upgrade Puri, he stressed that Balasore should not be overlooked.
He also alleged that the state government’s decision to upgrade Puri was a diversion tactic to cover up its administrative failure during the Puri stampede incident.
With Puri becoming Odisha’s sixth Municipal Corporation, Nabajyoti said that a similar upgrade for Balasore, including its adjoining areas, would accelerate urban development and significantly benefit the common people.
He emphasized that Balasore, as the nerve center of northern Odisha, deserves not only Municipal Corporation recognition but also a dedicated financial package to ensure comprehensive development.
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