Naveen Patnaik slams Odisha Supplementary Budget, calls it visionless and misleading
Bhubaneswar, Nov 29
The day after Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi presented the Rs 17, 440 crore Supplementary Budget for the financial year 2025-2026 in the state Assembly, Leader of the Opposition and Biju Janata Dal chief Naveen Patnaik on Saturday launched a scathing attack on the government, stating the Budget has "shattered the expectations" of the state’s populace.
Patnaik, through a social media post, asserted that the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government's first Supplementary Budget lacks any major infrastructure initiative or long-term vision and is disappointing to citizens hoping for significant progress in the first full year of office.
The former Chief Minister alleged that the fiscal document pushes Odisha further towards a “fiscal deficit trap,†even as administrative expenditure shrinks and the state’s debt burden continues its upward trend.
“Except for allocations to the Works Department (Rs 900 crore) and a few urban infrastructure projects, there is nothing substantial in this budget,†he said in the post.
Patnaik further claimed the government tabled the Supplementary Budget merely to "hide the declining Central assistance and its own inefficiency," adding, “This Supplementary Budget is not in the interest of the people of Odisha, and it is merely an additional effort to mislead them.â€
Chief Minister Majhi, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the Rs 17,440 crore Supplementary Budget in the state Assembly on Friday.
The total provision includes Rs 3,389 crore for administrative expenditure, covering Rs 1,406 crore for government debt repayment and Rs 250 crore for the maintenance of roads and bridges.
The government earmarked Rs 13,716 crore for expenditure on various government programmes and priority sectors.
Key allocations under the programme expenditure include Rs 3,000 crore for the revolving fund for paddy procurement and Rs 1,325 crore towards subsidy under the Public Distribution System (PDS).
Furthermore, Rs 850 crore is provided for the Samrudha Krushaka Yojana, which includes payment of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and input assistance to farmers.
Significant funds have also been proposed for the National Health Mission (Rs 994 crore) and the SUBHADRA Yojana (Rs 295 crore), a flagship women's empowerment initiative.
The funding for the programme expenditure will see Rs 1,232 crore drawn from tied-up resources, with the remaining balance being met through savings and year-end surrenders, according to finance officials.
— IANS
Reader Comments
I think Naveen Patnaik is being too harsh. The budget has allocated good funds for farmers through MSP and Samrudha Krushaka Yojana. At least they're focusing on agriculture which is crucial for our state.
The fiscal deficit concern is valid. Rs 1,406 crore for debt repayment is significant. Hope this doesn't affect development projects in the long run. Need more transparency in financial planning.
Rs 994 crore for National Health Mission and Rs 295 crore for SUBHADRA Yojana shows some commitment to healthcare and women empowerment. But yes, where are the big ticket infrastructure projects? Odisha needs better roads and connectivity urgently!
Being an opposition leader, Naveen Patnaik has to criticize, but let's give the new government some time. They've just taken over and supplementary budgets are usually for urgent requirements. The main budget will show their true vision.
Only Rs 250 crore for road maintenance? In monsoon season, our roads get completely destroyed. This is totally inadequate! The government needs to prioritize basic infrastructure. ðŸ˜
Both sides have valid points. The budget does seem reactive rather than visionary, but let's see how effectively they implement these allocations.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.