BJD Accuses Odisha Government of Bias in Declaring New NACs

Bhubaneswar, Sept 2 : The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) accused the BJP-led Odisha government of adopting a discriminatory approach in the declaration of new Notified Area Councils (NACs) across the state.

Addressing a press conference, BJD vice president Debi Prasad Mishra said that during the tenure of former chief minister Naveen Patnaik, as many as 57 NACs were declared in February–March 2024. These announcements, he said, were made under the provisions of the Odisha Municipalities Act, 1950, based on reports submitted by District Collectors and were duly published through gazette notifications.

Mishra alleged that the BJP government not only delayed approvals of the earlier declared NACs but also introduced selective new ones, raising concerns of bias. “Even after 15 months in power, the new government has failed to issue a single gazette notification for any of the NACs,” he remarked.

On the occasion of Self-Governance Day on Sunday, the government announced 16 new NACs and 7 municipalities, while ignoring 39 of the 57 NACs that were previously declared by the BJD-led government. According to Mishra, only 18 NACs from the earlier list were retained, while important regions such as Kantabanji, which had been proposed for upgradation to a municipality, were completely overlooked.

Calling the decision “deeply disappointing,” Mishra said the 39 excluded regions deserved immediate recognition and warned that public resentment was already building up.
“If NAC status is not granted immediately, the Biju Janata Dal will not remain a passive observer and will demonstrate publicly,” he cautioned.