February 17th 2025.
The state of Odisha was abuzz with excitement as Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi presented the highly-anticipated budget for the fiscal year 2025-26. As he took to the podium, Majhi, who also holds the finance portfolio, emphasized the budget's focus on key sectors such as infrastructure, urban development, agriculture, and irrigation. He stated that this budget was designed to transform these sectors and bring about positive change in the state.
This was the first complete budget presented by the BJP government since coming into power last year. In July of the previous year, Majhi had presented an interim budget of Rs 2.65 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. However, this budget was much larger, with a total outlay of Rs 2.90-lakh crore. Majhi went on to highlight the various sectors that will receive special attention and investment, including capital investment, port-led development, industrialization, and sports.
The Chief Minister then delved into the details of the budget, stating that Rs 1,70,000 crore had been allocated for program expenditure, which accounted for more than 58.62% of the total budget. He also mentioned that the capital outlay was Rs 65,012 crore, which makes up 6.11% of the GSDP (Gross State Domestic Product). Majhi proudly proclaimed that this proportion of capital expenditure to total budget is the highest among all major states in the country.
In regards to agriculture and allied sectors, Majhi announced an increase in allocation of about 12% from the previous year, amounting to Rs 37,838 crore. He also stated that the revenue surplus is projected at 3% of the GSDP, while the fiscal deficit is projected at 3.2% of the GSDP. The annual budget was declared to be fully compliant with fiscal responsibility and budget management standards, with the year-end debt stock expected to remain at 12.7% of the GSDP.
Recognizing the importance of agriculture in the state, Majhi noted that almost half of the state's workforce is employed in this sector and 80% of the population resides in rural areas. Keeping this in mind, the government has allocated Rs 37,838 crore for the farm and allied sectors. This includes Rs 2,020 crore for the CM Kisan Yojana and Rs 600 crore for the Shree Anna Abhiyan, which aims to promote the cultivation of millets.
Moving on to other departments, Majhi revealed the budget allocations for various sectors. The finance department received the highest amount with Rs 63,511.91 crore, followed by Rs 31,185.47 crore for school & mass education, Rs 28,451 crore for panchayat raj & drinking water, Rs 22,741 crore for health & family welfare, Rs 15,223 crore for women & child development, and Rs 14,894 crore for water resources.
The Chief Minister also announced at least 16 new initiatives in the budget, including the Shree Jagannath Darshan Yojana, which has been allocated Rs 30 crore. This initiative aims to provide free travel, temple visit, and Mahaprasad (holy food) to devotees with limited financial resources. Majhi also revealed plans for the development of the Maa Tarini Temple complex in Keonjhar, with an estimated budget of Rs 225 crore.
In addition, the budget also includes an allocation of Rs 820 crore for tourism, with a focus on infrastructure development, community empowerment, and sustainable tourism practices. Majhi's budget also features initiatives such as the Antyodaya Gruha Yojana, Subhadra Surakhya Yojana, Southern Odisha Development Council, Swachha Odisha program, and Samrudha Sahara. These initiatives aim to improve the lives of the people of Odisha and promote the overall development of the state.
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