Odisha CM expresses mixed reaction over Union Budget 2022

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday gave a mixed reaction to the Union Budget by welcoming various proposals while denouncing some others.

The focus of the budget on technology and infrastructure-led growth will have a positive impact. Proposed technology-led development in health and education will help the country to a large extent in this pandemic situation, the Chief Minister said.

The Production Linked Initiative schemes in fourteen sectors and extension of the Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme would be helpful in mitigating supply-side constraints.

The sectoral allocation is slashed in critical sectors like agriculture and farmers welfare, higher education, rural development and women and child development. This could hamper inclusive growth.

Reduction in MGNREGS in a pandemic situation is not going to help the poor people. There are serious issues of offtake by FCI leading to dislocation in paddy procurement.

Further, a reduction in food subsidy under NFSA will put farmers in serious trouble. This needs to be reconsidered, he added.

Middle class and poor people are heavily impacted by price rise and inflation. The budget has not addressed the price rise being faced by people. To compound this further, there is a sharp decline in LPG subsidies. This will affect household economics very badly and women will bear the brunt of the LPG price rise.

The increasing level of Cess and Surcharge is shrinking the mandated transfers of share tax due to the States.

More than 20 per cent of the Union Taxes are proposed to be collected through the levy of Cess and Surcharge which is against the spirit of cooperative federalism.

"Odisha Millet Mission" has been a game-changer in promoting nutritional security and augmenting farmers' income.

"I am happy that the Government of India has recognised the importance of millet in the Union Budget in the context of declaration of 2023 as International Year of Millets by United Nations," he said.

Increased allocation under Jal Jivan Mission, PMAY are welcome steps. However, people of Odisha are shocked that the genuine demands of Odisha on rural housing are neglected, while the same is considered for other States.

"I hope the Centre would rectify this injustice being meted out to the poor and the tribal people of Odisha by not sanctioning houses," Patnaik said.

Odisha is the only state in the country that is more frequently affected by natural calamities and our repeated demand for special consideration in this regard has not been addressed in the Budget.

( With inputs from ANI )