BHUBANESWAR: The Council of Ministers on Friday approved the first supplementary budget of around Rs 8,300 crore for the financial year 2019-20 with focus on health, industry sectors and beautification of Puri. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik presided over the meeting. The State Government will present the supplementary budget on November 13, the first day of the winter session of Assembly.
The supplementary budget has assumed significance in view of the slew of projects announced by the Chief Minister, particularly in the health sector, under ‘Mo Sarkar’ charter and 5T initiatives being implemented by the State Government from October 2.Naveen announced various schemes in the health sector under Mo Sarkar charter, including `1,000 crore for upgradation of SCB Medical College and Hospital at Cuttack, increase in the bed strength of several district headquarters hospitals (DHHs) with an expenditure of around `400 crore and establishment of medical college at Phulbani.
Besides, the Chief Minister had also announced additional contingency fund of `17.5 crore for all the 587 police stations of the State and incentives for sports persons.The State Government also finalised the three-year `3,208 crore for ABADHA (Augmentation of Basic Amenities and Development of Heritage and Architecture) scheme for beautification of Puri to make it a world heritage city. A proposal in this regard has already been approved by State Cabinet on October 22.
In the first year, `719 crore will be spent under ABADHA scheme.
Sources said provisions have been made for all the schemes besides other focus areas of the Government.
The Appropriation Bill on the first supplementary statement of expenditure will be presented on November 25. Meanwhile, in a first-of-its-kind initiative in Odisha, Speaker Surya Narayan Patro convened a meeting of all the chairpersons of various house committees of the Assembly ahead of winter session.
The meeting discussed working of the House committees. Deputy Speaker Rajani Kanta Singh, chairpersons of privilege, estimate and ethics committees Pratap Jena, Pratap Keshari Deb and Amar Prasad Satpathy were among others present at the meeting.