BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Wednesday expressed concern over what it claimed reduction of central grants to Odisha and urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to take up the matter with the Centre.
Addressing a media conference here, former minister Arun Sahoo and spokesperson Lenin Mohanty claimed that grants to Odisha’s panchayats will be reduced by Rs 530 crore during the current year. The leaders further stated that central assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and Jal Jeevan Mission has remained zero during the last two years.
The BJD leaders alleged that before coming to power two years back, BJP had promised to increase central assistance and make Odisha one among the most developed states in the country. But grants are declining instead of increasing under the double-engine government, they added.
During 2024-25, Odisha was expected to receive `5,800 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana but not a single rupee was received. Similarly, during 2025-26, the state was completely deprived of assistance under the scheme, the regional party leaders said. In 2025-26, under the Jal Jeevan Mission, Odisha was expected to receive an annual assistance of `6,000 crore but under this scheme too, no funds have been provided by the Centre, Sahoo said.
The BJD further alleged that reduction in central assistance over the last two years and inability of the BJP government to utilise budgetary allocations have hampered development. Odisha, which ranked number one in the country in financial management during the previous BJD Government, is now witnessing deterioration in its financial condition, they added.
The BJD leaders alleged that implementation of developmental projects has stopped in rural areas due to poor flow of central funds. The state government should place the legitimate demands of the people before the Centre and secure higher grants for the State, they added.