As the state government grapples with rising establishment cost and growing commitments to a large number of welfare schemes, ruling BJD MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik advised formulation of a women-friendly excise policy keeping their sentiments and interests in view.

Raising supplementaries during a discussion on a question from Mohan Charan Majhi (BJP), Patnaik said women constitute around 50 per cent of the total population of the state and have voted for the government’s women-friendly policies.