On Thursday, the Odisha government, under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, presented its first budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, amounting to Rs 2.65 trillion. This budget, which is 15% higher than the previous year’s allocation, focuses heavily on agriculture and women empowerment.
Major Allocations and Renamed Schemes
Chief Minister Majhi, who also oversees the finance portfolio, introduced significant modifications to several existing schemes. The KALIA scheme was rebranded as the ‘CM-KISAN’ program, aligned with the Centre’s PM-KISAN scheme, to provide financial assistance to approximately 10 million farmers in Odisha. The ‘Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana’ (BSKY) was replaced with the ‘Gopabandhu Jana Arogya Yojana’ (GJAY), integrating it with the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) for cashless healthcare.
Agricultural Focus
A substantial allocation of Rs 33,919 crore was proposed for the agriculture sector, marking a 36% increase from the previous year. The budget also includes Rs 5,000 crore for the Samrudha Krushak Yojana and Rs 1,935 crore for the new CM Kisan scheme, reflecting the government’s commitment to supporting farmers.
Women Empowerment
To fulfill the BJP’s election promise of empowering women, the budget allocated Rs 10,000 crore to the ‘Subhadra’ scheme, a financial assistance program aimed at accelerating women’s empowerment in the state.
Budgetary Breakdown
The total budget estimates include Rs 1.55 trillion for program expenditure, Rs 97,725 crore for administrative expenditure, and Rs 3,900 crore for Disaster Risk Management Funds. These allocations are designed to ensure comprehensive development across various sectors.
Inclusivity and Stakeholder Consultation
Describing the budget as a “people’s budget,” Chief Minister Majhi highlighted that the government had consulted around 12,000 stakeholders during its preparation. This inclusive approach aimed to address the needs and aspirations of diverse segments of the population.
Focus on Key Sectors
In addition to agriculture, the budget prioritizes industries, health, education, and service sectors. Major allocations were made for initiatives promoting the state’s identity and cultural heritage, including a Rs 500 crore corpus fund for the Shree Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA) and Rs 200 crore for Odia Asmita (pride).
Opposition Reactions
Despite the ambitious budget, opposition leaders expressed disappointment. Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik criticized the budget as a “double disappointment,” referring to both the Union and state budgets. He pointed out that over 40 schemes from the previous BJD government had merely been renamed by the current administration. Senior Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati echoed similar sentiments, stating that there was “nothing new” in the budget and accusing the BJP government of simply increasing the budget size by 10-20%.
Key Renamed Schemes
The government renamed several schemes, including the ‘Biju Setu Yojana’ as ‘Setu Bandhan Yojana,’ ‘Make in Odisha’ as ‘Utkarsh Utkal,’ and ‘Ama Odisha Nabin Odisha’ as ‘Vikasit Gaon Vikasit Odisha.’ These rebranding efforts are part of the government’s strategy to align state initiatives with national programs.
Healthcare and Infrastructure
The integration of AB-PMJAY with GJAY aims to provide cashless treatment to eligible families at over 27,000 empanelled hospitals across India, benefiting especially migrant laborers. The budget proposed Rs 500 crore for AB-PMJAY and Rs 3,056 crore for the state sector health scheme.
Urban Development and Transport
For urban development, the budget allocated Rs 1,000 crore for the Bhubaneswar Metro Rail project and Rs 918 crore for a new city development program. Additionally, Rs 600 crore was earmarked for railway projects and Rs 6,180 crore for road development initiatives.
Economic Vision and Cultural Pride
Chief Minister Majhi emphasized that the budget reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s principles of inclusive growth—Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas. With an expected GSDP growth rate of 8%, the aim is to ensure a ‘Viksit Odisha’ (developed Odisha) in the coming years. Significant funds were also allocated for the promotion of Shree Jagannath Culture and the conservation of monuments, with Rs 72 crore for the Mukhya Mantri Kalakara Sahayata Yojana and Rs 15 crore for monument protection.
The Odisha government’s Rs 2.65 trillion budget for 2024-25 underscores its commitment to agriculture, women empowerment, healthcare, and infrastructure development. Despite opposition criticism, the government remains focused on achieving inclusive growth and fulfilling the aspirations of its people.
(With inputs from agencies)
