The BJP and Congress launched an attack on the ruling BJD after the photographs of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Rita Sahu and Environment Minister Pradip Amat with Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena found on the website of the Information and Public Relations (I&PR) Department.
He said as opposed to the earlier scenario when the poor were running after the government for basic facilities, now the government is reaching the doorstep of the poor.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJD-led dispensation, BJP’s State general secretary Golak Mohapatra on Saturday wryly said, “The State government’s budget is like a big school bag containing fewer study materials.”
On the other hand, while Leader of Opposition (LoP) Jayanarayan Mishra termed the budget as a means to garner votes, Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati termed the budget as a rosy picture.
While presenting the full-fledged budget of Rs 2.3 lakh crore for the financial year 2023-24, Odisha Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari said the proposed allocation for the agriculture sector is 20 per cent more than what was allocated last year and three times the Budget Estimate during 2016-17.
In the budget, the government has made an allocation of Rs 750 crore for Ama Hospital Yojana. Under this scheme, as many as 147 hospitals will see a transformation in a period of one year.
From this year, 200 meritorious students selected through entrance exam will be provided free coaching for Civil Services Examination along with free lodging and boarding facilities, announced the state government.
While presenting the full-fledged budget of Rs 2.3 lakh crore for the financial year 2023-24, Pujari said steps are being taken for the recruitment of 1799 Junior Assistants and 335 posts of Post Graduate Teachers (PGTs).
State finance minister Niranjan Pujari presented the budget for the financial year 2023-24 today.
The finance minister further said that Odisha has been able to keep the administrative expenditure under control at Rs.94,000 crore in 2023-24.
An outlay of Rs.24,829 crore under the agriculture Budget, 2023-24 has been made which is around 20 per cent more than last year and three times of the budget estimate during 2016-17.
Pujari is expected to announce a spending plan of around Rs 2.30 lakh crore approved by the council of ministers for 2023-24. Last year, the budget was Rs 2 lakh crore.
Meanwhile, the Opposition parties targeted the Odisha government ahead of the presentation of the budget.
Soon after the House proceedings began with Question Hour, Congress MLAs moved near the Speaker's podium and raised slogans against the government.
The budget session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly will commence on February 21 and continue till April 6 in two phases.
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