Odisha FM presents Rs 1,70,000 cr welfare, development budget for 2021-22

Odisha Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari on Monday presented welfare, development, investment and transformation-oriented annual budget for 2021-22 in the Odisha Legislative Assembly with an outlay of Rs 1,70,000 crores.

This year also the Budget was presented in two parts -"Agriculture Budget" and "General Budget". It was about 26 per cent more than the 2020-21 revised estimate budget. The uniqueness of this year's budget was in NeVA (National e- Vidhan Application) - A green initiative and a dedicated Odisha Budget Mobile App - Available in both Google Play Store and Apple App Store, according to the state government.

"The 2021-22 Budget focuses on the creation of transformative healthcare facilities, transformative infrastructures, agriculture, livelihoods, MSME and industrial sector, education, skills, sports, tourism, culture etc," said Pujari.

With an increase of about 19 per cent over the previous year, a total sum of Rs 9,164 crores is allocated for public health care in this year's State Budget.

Under WASH Initiatives (Water Access, Station, and Hygiene), the state government will invest more than Rs 12,000 crores for piped drinking water from budget and off-budget sources.

Besides, Rs 17,469 crores has been allocated to agriculture and allied sector activities, in which an outlay of Rs 1,800 crores has been rationed under the state flagship 'Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA)' programme.

The Odisha government apportioned a provision of Rs 3,000 crores for the year 2021-22 with a target for the construction of another 5 lakh pucca houses through the convergence of PMAY-Gramin and Biju Pucca Ghar Schemes.

Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik congratulated the people involved in framing the Budget.

"It is a pro-people, pro-growth and transformative budget in our journey towards 'New Odisha -Empowered Odisha'. Most of the last year we lost in Covid lockdowns. From that scenario to the present, a holistic and fiscally prudent budget for Rs 1.76 lakh crores is nothing short of brilliant," Pattnaik said.

( With inputs from ANI )