Odisha CM asks depts to spend 85 per cent of budget funds by March-end
BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday asked ministers to ensure expenditure of at least 85 per cent of the funds earmarked for different department in the 2024-25 budget, by the end of the current financial year. The total 2024-25 budget amount was `2.65 lakh crore.
Reviewing the expenditure of various departments at Lok Seva Bhawan here, the chief minister said the expenditure was 81 per cent of the total budget of `2.3 lakh crore in 2023-24. While acknowledging that there were problems in spending in 2024-25 due to elections and the new government taking charge, he said expenditure of many departments has been satisfactory so far. However, at least 85 per cent of the budget should be spent by making full use of the remaining one month’s time, he advised.
The chief minister also asked the ministers to immediately examine the expenditure proposals and make necessary approvals. He directed that the pending payments under various welfare schemes should be released immediately as per rules. Stating that programme expenditure and capital expenditure are the most important parts of the budget, Majhi said these will generate employment and boost economic growth.
The chief minister said Odisha’s capital expenditure was 6.1 per cent of its Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), which is the highest in the country. “Our goal is to increase economic activity in the agrarian economy as well as other sectors. This requires extensive infrastructure development,” he emphasised.
The meeting was informed that the expenditure of the departments of Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock, Health, Water Resources, Works, Disability and Social Justice, Supplies and Cooperatives was comparatively better than others. The chief minister directed other departments to increase expenditure by the fiscal-end.
Among others, minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Rabi Narayan Naik, minister for Housing and Urban Development Krushna Chandra Mahapatra, minister for School and Mass Education Nityananda Gond, minister for Transport Bibhuti Bhusan Jena, and minister for Fisheries and Livestock Gokulananda Mallik attended the meeting.