No BJP-BJD pact to slow down probe in Odisha chit fund scam, says Venkaiah

Bhubaneswar:  Rejecting allegations of a secret deal between BJP and BJD to slow down CBI probe into the chit fund scam in Odisha, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Wednesday said the NDA government is only keen to see speedy development in the state. [caption id=“attachment_2265816” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Venkaiah Naidu. AFP[/caption] “We do not have any secret deal (with BJD),” the Union Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister told reporters in Bhubaneswar. Naidu asserted that the BJP-led government at the Centre has no intention of misusing CBI for political purpose and he had no information about investigation into the chitfund scam getting slowed down. The Centre is, however, interested in speedy development in Odisha and other states, he said. Naidu appealed to the ruling BJD in Odisha to support the amended land bill in Parliament as the state also required land for development of infrastructure, roads, ports and other ventures. Refuting allegations that allocation of funds for Odisha would be reduced following the 14th Finance Commission recommendation, the union minister said it would get more as for the first time 42 per cent of central revenue would go to states. “Odisha will not get less than what they were getting earlier. All states, including Odisha, will benefit substantially,” he said, adding, it would give the state a lot of flexibility to decide its priorities and work accordingly. Odisha would also be a major beneficiary of the new MMDR Act and coal auction, Naidu said. To a query on the proposed Posco steel plant being sought to be treated as a special project, he said every state tries to push some project or the other as special. PTI