Finance Minister presents Rs 1.70 lakh crore Annual Budget in Assembly

The Finance Minister presented the Budget Estimates of Rs 1.70 lakh crore, which included Administrative Expenditure of Rs 85,000 crore.

The Finance Minister claimed that revenue collection has increased by 10 per cent this year compared to last year. The State’s loan burden is estimated to be 20.9 per cent of the State Gross Domestic Product.

Pujar said he has made a layout of Rs 3,050 crore for disaster mitigation, which includes possible spending for combating Covid infection.

An layout of Rs 500 core has been set for upgrading SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack  to an AIIMS Plus health facility. A provision of Rs 1,353 crore has been made for Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana and a provision of Rs 1,755 crore made for National Health Mission. A total layout of Rs 13,000 crore has  set for healthcare sector, he said.

Giving  priority on enhancing income of farmers, the Government has made a provision of Rs 1,800 crore in the Budget for resumption of KALIA Yojana, said Purjari. He said a layout of Rs 2,258 crore has been made for irrigation.

To expedite development works in Puri, Ekamra Kshetra and Samaleswari Temple, layouts of Rs 542 crore, Rs 200 crore have been made respectively. While Rs 100 crore has been set for construction of Subhas Bose Bus Terminal in Cuttack, Rs 90 crore has been made for construction of world-class Hockey Stadium in Rourkela.

A provision of Rs 280 crore has been made for establishment of Adrarsha Schools at block levels.

Claiming that the State Government has given priority in providing jobs to rural people, the Finance Minister said a provision of Rs 1,966 crore has been made for implementation of the MGNREGS during the year 2021-22.

The Agriculture Budget has provisions of Rs 17,468 crore this year. Rs 100 crore has been carved out for subsidies for seeds and fertilisers, he said.