BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Government will have to resort to borrowing and other receipts of Rs 23,734 crore to finance the annual budget of Rs 1,39,000 crore for 2019-20 fiscal which focuses on boosting agriculture production and productivity, expanding irrigation, improving health care, education and skills besides investing in the youth.
Presenting the budget in the Assembly, Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari said the outlay will be mainly financed through revenue receipts of Rs 1,15,266 crore which include State’s own tax of Rs 33,000 crore, non-tax revenue of Rs 12,500 crore, share in Central taxes of Rs 39,207 crore and Rs 30,559 crore grants from the Centre.While no new scheme has been announced in the budget, the debt burden of the State is expected to touch Rs 1,06,554 crore by the end of 2019-20, an increase from Rs 87,000 crore in 2018-19 as several new schemes including Kalia were announced before the elections. The State will have to borrow Rs 16,434 crore from the open market to finance its welfare schemes.
The budget has made an allocation of Rs 19,492 crore for education and skill development sector. The provisions in this sector includes Rs 2,550 crore for Samagra Sikhya Abhiyan and Rs 844 crore for Midday Meal scheme. Stating that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik gives topmost priority to education and skill development of SC and ST students, the Minister said an allocation of Rs 227 crore has been proposed for construction of hostels for ST girls and urban hostel complexes.
Besides, a provision of Rs 1,425 crore has been made for providing pre-matric and post-matric scholarships to ST, SC, OBC, minorities and meritorious students. About 17 lakh students of different categories receive pre and post-matric scholarships including 2.5 lakh girl students under the Odisha Girls’ Incentive Programme.The growing cost of the Government includes distribution of rice at Rs one per kg for which an allocation of Rs 1,028 crore has been made to cover 23 lakh additional beneficiaries who are provided five kg of rice per month per person under the State Food Security Scheme.
Besides, Rs 4,427 crore has been allocated for social security measures which include Rs 2,120 crore for Madhubabu Pension Yojana and Rs 838 crore for National Social Assistance Programme for old, widow and disable persons at an enhanced rate of Rs 500 per month for beneficiaries below 80 years of age and Rs 700 per month for persons above 80 years of age. About 48 lakh beneficiaries are covered under the scheme.
The Finance Minister has made a provision of Rs 6,783 crore for public health care including Rs 1203 crore for Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, Rs 578 crore for Mukhyamantri Swasthya Seva Mission and Rs 1,323 crore for National Health Mission. As empowerment of women is a key programme of the State Government, Rs 2,442 crore has been provided for this under various schemes including Rs 305 crore under the maternity benefit programme MAMATA, Rs 1,036 crore under the supplementary nutrition programme, Rs 301 crore under the Mukhyamantri Mahila Sashaltikarana Yojana and Rs 130 crore for construction of Mission Shakti Gruha at the gram panchayat level.
The highest allocation of Rs 23,760 crore has been made under tribal sub-component and SC sub-component. Total allocation of Rs 20,824 crore has been made for the rural development sector including Rs 4,820 crore for rural housing through convergence of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) Gramin and Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana. Other key allocations under the sector include Rs 2,900 crore for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, Rs 2,500 crore for rural component of Swachh Bharat Mission, Rs 400 crore for Ama Gaon Ama Bikas and Rs 540 crore for Gopabandhu Grameen Yojana.
The Finance Minister has made an allocation of Rs 5,000 crore for piped drinking water scheme which includes an outlay of Rs 2,740 crore for rural piped water supply and Rs 385 crore for urban piped water supply under BASUDHA. A provision of Rs 5,579 crore has been made for urban development including Rs 400 crore for smart city mission for development of Bhubaneswar and Rourkela smart city. Besides, to transform the slums into liveable habitats with all the necessary infrastructures, services and amenities, Rs 100 crore has been provided under the JAGA Mission.
As infrastructure is a key focus area of the Government, Rs 17,809 crore has been provided for this sector including Rs 1,300 crore under the Road Development Programme for construction and upgradation of roads. An allocation of Rs 4,600 crore has been made for disaster management including Rs 909 crore under SDRF and Rs 3,691 crore under NDRF.
The total expenditure outlay for the year has been fixed at Rs 74,600 crore including Rs 70,600 crore for government sector and Rs 4,000 crore for public sector undertakings. The administrative expenditure will be Rs 57,310 crore including Rs 25,500 crore for salaries, Rs 13,300 crore for pension, Rs 6,500 crore for interest payment and Rs 4,840 crore for maintenance of capital assets.
Progressive budget: CM Naveen Patnaik
BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday praised the annual budget of Odisha for 2019-20 saying that aspirations of people of the State have been reflected in it. He said two major promises of the BJD’s election manifesto, expansion of Kalia scheme and inclusion of all eligible farmers, landless labourers and sharecroppers and health cover for women upto Rs 10 lakh, have been fulfilled in the budget. “I am happy to note that funds have been allocated for Odia university as well as restoration works for Fani. Overall it is a pro-farmer, pro-women, pro-poor and growth oriented budget,” he said. He congratulated Finance Minister for presenting a progressive budget with strong focus on development.