Bhubaneswar: The State Government today presented the last annual budget before the 2019 general elections and with a proposed total outlay of Rs 1,20,028 crore for the 2018-19 fiscal.
Presenting the budget in State Assembly today, Finance minister Sashi Bhusan Behera said the size of the budget is about 12.3 percent more than the annual budget of 2017-18 and for the first time, the programme expenditure of Rs 62,000 is more than half of the total budget size.
With eyes on the elections, the government's budget focussed more on rural development especially on infrastructure, drinking water, housing for poor. The government has allocated Rs 3,529 crore under Biju Pucca Ghar scheme while for drinking water projects the government has proposed an outlay of Rs 3000 crore.
Similarly, new initiatives like Ama Gaon Ama Bikash has been allocated an outlay of Rs 1,250 crore. For development of SC, ST and other backward classes, the government has made a total allocation of around Rs 22,684 crore.
The government has made an allocation of Rs 19,678 crore for education and skills sector and Rs 6,160 crore for healthcare.
Allocation of Rs 90 crore was proposed for new initiative Biju Yuva Vahini for nurturing leadership and social engagement traits among youth across the state.
The state government has allocated Rs 50 crore under new scheme KHUSHI to distribute free sanitary napkins in a bid to ensure menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls and women.
A new universal eye care programme 'Mukhyamantri Chakshyu Jatna Karyakram'- SUNETRA with an outlay of Rs 682 crore over a period of five year period has also been announced out of which Rs 87 crore will be spent during 2018-19.
Similarly, Rs 125 crore has been allocated for 'Ama Ghare LED Light Karyakram' under which every household will be provided with 4 LED bulbs free of cost.
The government has made an allocation of Rs 30 crore to launch Green Mahanadi Mission for protecting the river, enhancing water availability and improving livelihood.
This year, the state government has allocated Rs 16,765 crore for Agriculture and Allied sectors.
The outlay for the Agriculture budget has been kept at 12.3 percent of the total proposed outlay for 2018-19.
With Agriculture and allied sectors experiencing a decline of 4.70 per cent (AE) during 2017-18 as compared to a growth 19.65 percent during the previous year, the state government has given more stress to farmers' welfare and irrigation this time.
For welfare of farmers, an additional outlay of Rs 250 crore has been approved while a sum of Rs 1,802 crore has been allocated under Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme.
Enhanced outlay of about Rs 155 crore for Integrated Watershed Management Programme, Rs 100 crore for Corpus Fund for procurement and distribution of quality seeds to farmers, Rs 100 crore for ensuring availability of fertilisers, and Rs 104 crore under National Horticulture Mission to promote horticulture & floriculture have been approved in this year’s budget.
The government has also made provisions to provide low-cost credit to farmers at 1 percent interest rates for loans up to Rs 50,000 and at 2 percent above that. The government has also set a target to insure around 25 lakh farmers this fiscal.
Similarly, Rs 100 crore provision has been made for promoting cultivation of Millets & Bajra in rain deficient regions under Odisha Millet Mission.
Rs 200 crore has been provided for improvement of water use efficiency and to ensure last mile irrigation through field channels and pipes while Rs 450 cr has been allocated for Farm Mechanisation Programme to boost productivity.
The ruling party welcomed the budget with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik terming it as ‘A pro-people, pro-poor and balanced budget’ with strong focus on development.
“It will foster equitable and inclusive growth. I hope this budget will fulfil the aspirations of the people of Odisha,” Naveen told reporters after the budget session today.
On the other hand, the Opposition parties came down heavily on the state government terming the budget ‘disappointing.’
Leader of Opposition, Narasingha Mishra criticised the proposed annual budget and termed it as anti-farmer and anti-poor. "Both the budgets are disappointing. No provisions have been made for the betterment of unemployed youth and it seems that the state government has neglected western Odisha which is largely underdeveloped," he said.
BJP ‘s Padampur MLA Pradeep Purohit termed the budget as extremely disappointing and lacking direction. "I can't see the farming community getting any welfare from the budget," he said.