Bhubaneswar: The Odisha finance minister, Niranjan Pujari, presented the State Budget for the financial year 2021-22 in the State Assembly on Monday.

Presenting a Budget of Rs 1.70 lakh crore the finance minister said the growth has been pegged at 10% in 2021-22. The government has estimated that the total resources would be Rs 1.25 lakh out of which own tax revenue Rs 37,500 crore and non-tax revenue Rs20,000. The receipt from the Centre is estimated to be Rs 68,000 crore.

The debt-GDP ratio would be 20.9 % as the borrowing would be Rs re,000 crore during the fiscal.

The chief minister in his budget has said, ” It is a pro-people, pro-growth and transformative budget in our journey towards ‘New Odisha – Empowered Odisha’. Most of last year we lost in Covid lockdowns. From that scenario to present a holistic, fiscally prudent budget for Rs.1.76 lakh crore is nothing short of brilliant. Congratulations to everyone involved.”

Highlights of the Odisha State Budget 2021-22

The Budget emphasised on economic growth, health, agriculture, industry, infrastructure, tourism and sports.

  1. Livelihoods, Economic growth and Health on top of Post-Covid agenda
  2. Health, along with drinking water, is a high priority and gets record allocation.
  3. Agriculture and Irrigation sectors provided a major boost with high allocation.
  4. Industry and Infrastructure gets a major push to scale up value addition and job creation.
  5. Tourism and Sports gets all-time high allocation to provide top-class infrastructure in the State.

Main Points:

The major allocations are in sectors:

Health:

  • A total sum of ₹9,164 crore is allocated for public health care with an increase of about 19% over previous year.
  • ₹1,353 crore provided under the scheme Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana for free Medical facilities with coverage up to ₹5 lakh per family in case of male members and up to ₹10 lakh per family in case of female beneficiaries.
  • ₹3500 crore is proposed to convert SCB Medical College into “AIIMS Plus Institute” to provide world-class healthcare facilities over next three years and ₹ 500 crore has been allocated for 2021-22.
  • Provision of ₹1,572 crore made under Mukhyamantri Swasthya Seva Mission for building health infrastructure and services.
  • ₹370 crore proposed for maintaining quality of sanitation, laundry, security, gardening & lift service in public health facilities under Nirmal Scheme.

Drinking Water Supply:

  • A massive investment of ₹12,000 crore for piped drinking water supply projects across the State.

Agriculture:

  • Allocation of ₹17,469 crore to Agriculture and allied activities
  • An outlay of ₹1,800 crore under the scheme Krushak Assistance for Livelihood and Income Augmentation (KALIA).
  • ₹819 crore provided towards Interest Subvention on crop loans to Co-operative as well as Commercial Banks.
  • ₹454 crore is proposed towards subsidy for capital investment for establishment of Commercial Agri-enterprises and for popularization of agricultural implements, equipment and diesel pump sets.
  • ₹106 crore for the Odisha Millet Mission
  • Outlay of ₹1,415 crore for the Fisheries & Animal Resources Development sector
  • ₹137 crore proposed for the development of Brackish Water Aquaculture, Marine Fisheries, Intensive Aquaculture, and Inland Fisheries.

Irrigation:

  • Allocation of ₹ 8,266 crores for Water Resources Department.
  • An outlay of ₹2,258 crore for incomplete AIBP Projects
  • ₹795 crore for construction of In-stream Storage Structures (ISS) in all major rivers of the State.
  • ₹454 crore proposed under state funded Water Sector Infrastructure
    Development Programme (WSIDP) for on-going and new projects
  • An outlay of ₹710 crore for flood control and drainage work – ₹860 crore for Parbati Giri Mega Lift Irrigation Scheme.
  • ₹180 crore under RIDF for Jalanidhi scheme to create additional irrigation potential
  • A sum of ₹389 crore proposed for completion of 21,000 Deep Bore Wells
  • ₹400 crore under Biju Krushak Vikas Yojana for installation of 1500 community lift irrigation projects
  • ₹164 crore allocated for revival of 1000 defunct lift irrigation points
  • ₹101 crore is being proposed under Canal Lining and System Rehabilitation Programme (CLSRP)
  • ₹77 crore proposed under Nabakrushna Choudhury Secha Unnayana Yojana

OUAT:
₹148 crore provided as Infrastructure Grants to OUAT for promoting agriculture education, research and infrastructure.

Industrial growth:

  • ₹425 crore allocated for development of Industries sector and attracting investment.
  • ₹465 crore to promote MSME sector, a jump of 86 percent in allocation over the previous year.
  • Special provisions for Odisha Economic Corridor, Mega Textile Park, Mega Aluminium Park, PCPIR etc.
  • ₹155 crore financial assistance to IDCO for development of industrial infrastructure.
  • Already announced Special COVID Package of around ₹289 crore to support MSMEs related COVID19 impact.
  • An outlay of ₹163 crore is made for Handloom, Handicrafts, Sericulture and Textile sectors.

Infrastructure Development:
Energy:

  • ₹1,799 crore is provided for the Energy Sector.
  • Financial assistance of ₹500 crore to be provided through equity infusion to
    OHPC for buying 49 percent share of AES in OPGC during 2021-22
  • Additional equity support of ₹225 crore is proposed for OPGC to cover the project cost and installation of the Flue Gas Desulphurisation (FGD) System.
  • ₹332 crore is provided towards equity contribution to OPTCL for construction of 132/33.

Roads:

  • ₹2296 crore provided under Road Development Programme for construction and upgradation of roads in the State.
  • ₹912 crore under Biju Setu Yojana for construction of bridges
  • ₹600 crore under the scheme Construction/ Improvement of Roads & Bridges – Provision of ₹2000 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna to complete 4000 Kms of rural roads.
  • Provision of ₹200 crore for the State Highway Development Programme (SHDP);
  • ₹100 crore for Biju Expressway to improve connectivity in Western Odisha;
  • ₹429 crore for Central Road Fund projects
  • Provision of ₹781 crore under improvement and construction of RD Roads & Bridges.
  • ₹300 core under the scheme Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojana

Airstrips:

  • ₹100 crore provided for land acquisition, construction, renovation, expansion of Airports at Rourkela, Jeypore, Utkela, Jharsuguda, and renovation of Birasal airstrip.

Railways:

  • Outlay of ₹396 crore for the development of Railway projects in the State.

Bus Terminals:

  • ₹100 crore for the block level Bus Stand and construction of new Bus Terminal at Cuttack.
  • ₹100 crore for urban road transport and development of Baramunda Bus stand

Livelihoods:

  • ₹2,001 crore proposed towards material component under MGNREGA
  • A Corpus Fund of ₹500 crore to facilitate timely payment of wages under
    MGNREGA pending receipt of Central Assistance for the wage component
  • ₹1,270 crore provided under Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana–National Rural Livelihood Mission.
  • ₹200 crore for creating 11.13 lakh person-days of wage employment in urban areas

Heritage Conservation and Tourism Development:

  • Allocation to Tourism department increased by 25% to a record ₹500 crore to create top-class infrastructure.
  • ₹542 crore allocated to transform Puri into World Heritage City under ABADHA scheme
  • ₹200 crore allocated under Ekamra Kshetra Amenities and Monuments Revival Action (EKAMRA) Plan
  • ₹200 crore allocated under Samaleswari temple Area Management And Local
    Economic Initiative (SAMALEI) scheme
  • ₹349 crore for the Development & Management of Tourist Infrastructure – ₹83 crore for Publicity of Tourism.

Sports Development:

  • Huge increase in Sports infrastructure development with allocation of Rs 400 crores during 2021-22.
  • Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela will be one of the venue for the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 and is going to India’s Largest Hockey stadium with 20000 chaired seating capacity and among the most modern hockey stadiums in the World. The project is taken up at a cost of Rs 120 crores.
  • Kalinga Stadium will be upgraded with Indoor Athletic Tracks and Swimming pools and High-Performance Centre infrastructure. The project is taken up at a cost of Rs 200 crores.
  • State Urban Sports Development project is being taken up at a cost of Rs 450 crores to provide Indoor sports halls in all ULBs and Football/Cricket fields in Municipalities and Municipal Corporations.
  • An investment of nearly Rs 800 crores will be made in the next 1-2 years to give a major push to the Sports infrastructure across the State. A convergence of State budget, DMF and CSR funds will be used for funding the projects.

Education and Skill Development:

  • Total ₹24,370 crore allocated for education and skill development sector
  • ₹280 crore provided under Odisha Adarsha Vidyalaya
  • ₹3,066 crore for Samagra Sikshya Abhiyan and ₹957 crore for Mid-day Meal
    Scheme all of which will have a State share of 40%
  • A sum of ₹253 crore under Mo School Programme for infrastructure development of schools
  • Allocation for ₹430 crore under the Gangadhar Meher Sikhya Manakbrudhi Yojana (GMSMY) to provide school bags to all children from Class-I to V, free textbooks and school uniform includingshoes to all children from Class-I to VIII and free bicycles to all students in Class-IX of Government and fully aided schools including OAVs
  • ₹1,002 crore earmarked towards all students’ scholarships to be credited through DBT
  • Provision of ₹100 crore for the World Skill Centre in Bhubaneswar

Social Security Measures:

  • A sum of ₹2,767 crore is allocated for social security measures
  • Provision of ₹1,509 crore under Madhubabu Pension Yojana and ₹923 crore for
    National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) for Old Age, Widow and Disability Pensions
  • ₹105 crore for Welfare of Persons with Disability (PwD) and ₹14 crore under the
    National Programme for Persons with Disability
  • ₹969 crore for distribution of rice @ ₹1/- per kg. under the State Food Security Scheme, 23 lakh additional beneficiaries are provided 5 Kg rice per month per beneficiary at the rate of ₹1 per Kg under the Scheme

Women and Child Development

  • Total ₹3,906 crore allocated for undertaking various women and child centric policy and welfare measures
  • Provision of ₹279 crore under the Maternity Benefit Programme “MAMATA” scheme.
  • ₹1,113 crore is also provided under Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP)

Mission Shakti:

  • ₹316 crore towards financial assistance and other support to Women Self Help
    Groups and their federations under Mission Shakti programme
  • An additional ₹100 crore for construction of Mission Shakti Gruha at block level.

SC ST Development:

  • Total ₹29,063 crore allocated under Tribal Sub-Component and SC SubComponent
  • ₹110 crore allocated towards social sector initiatives including ANWESHA
  • ₹270 crore for construction of hostels for ST girls and urban hostel complexes under the scheme AKANKSHYA
  • Provision of ₹903 crore for pre-matric and post-matric scholarships for ST and SC students

Support to PRIs and ULBs:
Transfer of about ₹6,950 crore to the Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies for the provision of basic services

Regional Development:

  • To further the development process in western Odisha, ₹180 crore is provided for WODC, which is more than double the previous year’s allocation.
  • An outlay of ₹250 crore under Biju KBK Plan to improve infrastructure in the KBK districts,mainly in respect of Bijli, Sadak, and Pani
  • ₹50 crore is proposed under the SETU scheme for the development of Swabhiman Anchall.
  • ₹3,143 crore from DMF and ₹3,814 crore from OMBADC are proposed to be utilized for development works during 2021-22.

Housing:

  • Provision of ₹3,000 crore with a target for the construction of another 5 lakh pucca houses through convergence of PMAY-Gramin and Biju Pucca Ghar Schemes.
  • ₹300 crore for the construction of 20,000 dwelling units under beneficiary led construction and affordable housing and slum development components of Odisha Urban Housing Mission AWAAS.