SAMBALPUR: BJP national spokesperson Ajay Alok on Wednesday described the current union budget as ‘historic and inclusive’.
Addressing mediapersons in Sambalpur, Alok described the current union budget as ‘historic and inclusive’. He said the budget was not meant solely for the rich or poor but for every section of society. Citing figures, he said the total expenditure has been pegged at Rs 53,47,315 crore, with a capital outlay of `12.20 lakh crore aimed at achieving the goal of ‘Viksit Bharat’. He maintained that the Centre has already addressed inflationary concerns through GST revisions and Odisha was given importance across sectors, including social welfare, MSMEs and small entrepreneurs.
Highlighting local projects, Alok said infrastructure initiatives in Sambalpur, including a bypass highway and flyover, were progressing under the leadership of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. He also stated that the state government would soon provide land for the proposed AIIMS in Sambalpur and the Centre was actively pursuing the project.
Reacting to these remarks, district BJD president Rohit Pujari termed the claims made by the BJP spokesperson as ‘unfortunate’ and an attempt to ‘mislead’ the people of Sambalpur and western Odisha.
While welcoming references to farmers and agricultural produce, he questioned why Alok did not address alleged irregularities in the state’s paddy procurement process and the hardships faced by farmers.
Pujari alleged that the proposed broad roads and waterways connecting industrial hubs such as Paradip and Angul with Sambalpur were aimed at facilitating mineral exports rather than ensuring proportional benefits for local residents. He said issues like adequate royalty for Odisha and employment opportunities for unemployed youths in western Odisha were not adequately addressed.
He further demanded establishment of national-level skill development centres, a software park and an IT park in western Odisha to prevent migration of youths. Criticising the exclusion of Odisha from major high-speed corridors, he called for a dedicated industrial corridor and freight corridor connecting Sambalpur and Rourkela.