Bikram Keshari Arukha presents Odisha Interim Budget 2024

Bikram Keshari Arukha presents Odisha Interim Budget 2024

Odisha Finance Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha presented the Annual Budget (Vote-on-Account) for 2024–25 in the Odisha Assembly on Thursday, ahead of the General Elections of 2024. The budget's outlay, Rs 2,55,000 crores, is almost 11% more than that of the Annual Budget for 2023–24. 

“To defray the expenditure on existing establishments and continuing schemes and projects from April to July 2024, 100% of BE for calamity and election-related expenses, about 50% of BE for Capital Expenditure and 40% of BE for Revenue Expenditure is taken in the Vote on Account, which is estimated at Rs 1,18,000 crore,” said Arukha.

The highest resource allocation has been proposed for the School & Mass Education department with a 9.71% share in total budget size for the financial year 2024-25. Apart from the School and Mass Education department, other departments which have got maximum allocations are the Panchayati Raj Department (8.84%), Health and Family Welfare (7.74%), Water Resources (5.20%) and Planning and Convergence (4.72%).

While presenting the interim budget, Arukha said that as per 2023-24 advance estimates, Odisha’s economy is likely to register a growth of 8.5 % against the national average of 7.3 %.

According to the state finance minister, the overall food production in Odisha has doubled in the last 22 years. The state government implemented the KALIA scheme to speed up agricultural development and alleviate poverty. So far, 43.88 lakh small and 18.93 lakh landless farmers’ families have been benefited under the scheme.

Similarly, the state government undertook the Millets Mission which has brought considerable improvement in the lives of around 5 lakh farmers. In his speech, Arukha said that there has been considerable improvement in the health sector and health for all is top priority for the state government. A target has been set for the development of 1,858 health centres in the next 5 years with an outlay of Rs 3,389 crores.

Key Highlights

• Rs 2000 crore revolving fund proposed for paddy procurement price disbursements on time.
• 1858 healthcare centres to be transformed in next 5 years with a proposed outlay of Rs 3389 crore.
• An outlay of Rs.1000 crore is provided in the budget for 2024-25 for Metro Rail Project. Besides, Rs.700 crores has been proposed for development of Railway projects in the State during 2024-25.
• The allocation for the Industries and MSME sector has been increased to Rs. 1,555 crores during 2024-25.

Sectoral Highlights

Agriculture & Allied Sector Activities

• Outlay of Rs. 28,944 crores under the Agriculture Budget, 2024-25, which is 17% more than last year’s allocation.
• Provision of Rs. 2,000 crores as revolving fund to be utilised for paddy procurement operations by OSCSC.
• Rs. 685 crores for Food Storage & Warehousing-Procurement Operation Support System and Rs. 24 crores for Fair Price Shop Automation.
• Rs. 1,935 crores of direct benefit transfers under KALIA Scheme.
• Rs. 181 crores as grants to OUAT for agricultural research, education, and infrastructure
• Rs. 250 crores towards Corpus Fund for provision of Interest free loan for fertiliser and seed.

Irrigation & Water Use Efficiency

• Total outlay of Rs 14,467 crores for irrigation sector.
• Rs. 860 crores for construction of In-stream Storage Structures to fulfil the long felt needs of the irrigation.
• Rs. 1225 crores for the 2nd phase of Parvati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation scheme to provide irrigation to additional 2.63 lakh hectares.
• Rs. 194 crores to revive defunct Community Lift Irrigation Projects during 2024- 25

Health Sector

• Total allocation Rs. 19,959 crores for public health care with an increase of about 24% over previous year. It is about 8 percent of the State Budget.
• Rs. 1314 crores is provided for Ama Hospital, Rs.698 crore is provided for Continuance of Family Welfare Schemes (Infrastructure maintenance).
• Rs. 5450 crores is provided for Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana.
• Rs. 2992 crores under the State Scheme Mukhya Mantri Swasthya Seva Mission which includes Rs.560 crores for Support to Medical Educational Institution
• Rs.50 crores is provided for Establishment of Odisha University of Health Sciences, Bhubaneswar

Education Sector

• Allocation of Rs. 33,865 crores for the Education Sector.
• Rs. 24,764 crores for the School and Mass Education Department.
• Rs. 521 crores under Mo School Abhiyan, Rs.880 crore for Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya and Rs.10 crore for High School Transformation Programme under 5T.
• Rs. 1175 crores for PM POSHAN including State Support Rs. 178 crores and Rs. 4717 crores for Samagra Sikshya, including State Support of Rs.476 crores.
• Rs. 3,470 crores for Higher Education Department.

Urban Development

• Allocation of Rs. 10,718 crores to transform Urban Odisha.
• Rs. 418 crores for Urban Water Supply-BASUDHA, Rs. 100 crores for Jaga Mission and Rs. 918 crores for New City Development 
• Rs. 430 crores for Urban Sanitation Scheme
• Rs. 214 crores for Urban Sewarage Scheme
• Rs. 200 crores for Storm Water Drainage & Dev. of Water Bodies 
• Rs. 1200 crores for Urban Road Transport
• Rs. 50 crores for Odisha Urban Infrastructure Development Fund.