By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, February 22, 2021: Odisha Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari presented the Rs 1,70,00 crore budget for the financial year 2021-22 in the Odisha Assembly on Monday, about 26% higher than that of 2020-21 (revised estimate).Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik termed it as ‘pro-people, pro-growth and transformative.’

Mr. Pujari has ensured that the Naveen Patnaik government’s all flagship projects — Puri Heritage Corridor, Lingaraj and Samaleswari temple beautification programmes, SCB Medical College development and Kalia (Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation) — do not face fund shortage.

While Rs 17,469 crore has been allocated for agriculture and allied activities, Rs 9,164 crore has been earmarked for public health care with an increase of about 19% over previous year.
A corpus of Rs 500 crore has been created to facilitate timely payment of wages under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Guarantee Act pending receipt of Central assistance for the wage component.

A substantial Rs 29,063 crore has been allocated under the tribal and the SC sub-components.

The government allotted Rs 500 crore as part of the Rs 3,500-crore plan to convert the SCB Medical College into “AIIMS Plus institute” to provide world-class facilities.

The government would have Rs 542 crore in coming fiscal to transform Puri into world heritage city while Rs 200 crore each have been allocated for the Lingaraj and Samaleswari temple development.

“It is a pro-people, pro-growth and transformative budget in our journey towards new Odisha — empowered Odisha,” said Mr. Patnaik.
“Most of last year, we lost in COVID lockdowns. From that scenario to present a holistic, fiscally prudent budget for ₹1.76 lakh crore is nothing short of brilliant,” Mr. Patnaik said, congratulating everyone involved.

In a tweet, Patnaik wrote, “Odisha Budget2021 is a pro-people, pro-growth and transformative budget in our journey towards “New Odisha – Empowered Odisha”. Most of last year we lost in COVID19 lockdowns.”

Patnaik further congratulated everyone who was involved in preparing a ‘holistic, fiscally prudent budget’.

However, the Chief Minister’s remarks have not gone well with the opposition parties who reacted sharply over the Odisha Budget 2021.

Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja said, “The Odisha government has tried to present a rosy picture before the people of the State through the budget. Though special focus was given on agriculture, there is nothing for the farmers. It is the worst budget compared to previous years.”

Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Bishnu Sethi said, “Though the government has come up online systems for migrant labourers, it will be of no use to
them. How can Odisha become Atma Nirbhar if the State cannot focus on development of infrastructure?”

Responding to the allegations levelled by the opposition parties, BJD MLA Debi Prasad Mishra said, “The budget has been prepared with a vision and a target to keep intact out GDP. The government has also set a target to complete the ongoing mega irrigation projects apart from the new project