BHUBANESWAR: Asserting that the financial condition of Odisha is stable with surplus revenue, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday said that states ruled by non-BJP governments are in a precarious situation with a significant debt burden and even unable to pay salaries of their employees.
Replying to the debate on Odisha Appropriation Bill, 2025, the chief minister targeted the Congress for creating ruckus and not allowing the Assembly to function, saying the Opposition party should look at the states it rules before pointing at Odisha government.
“I recently came across an interview with the chief minister of Telangana, where he mentioned that his state’s financial situation is so dire that he can’t even afford to spend Rs 500 crore per month on capital expenditure. On the other hand, Odisha is capable of spending more than Rs 5,000 crore per month on it,” Majhi said.
Similar is the financial situation of states like Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh which are grappling with significant debt burden and limited fiscal space for capital expenditure, he added. Without taking the name of the BJD, Majhi said recently the main Opposition party attended a conference in southern India where it witnessed the dire financial condition of other participating states. In contrast, Odisha’s fiscal discipline and management are among the best in the country. The state’s borrowing is focused on welfare and development initiatives, ensuring that the funds are utilised efficiently, the chief minister added.
Asserting that his government is taking special care to ensure the implementation of all MoUs signed for projects, he said Odisha is going to be the industrial capital of eastern India in the next five years. To achieve the goal of creating more job opportunities in the industry and service sectors, Odisha has got investment proposal of Rs 16.73 lakh crore in the recently held Utkarsh Odisha: Make-in-Odisha Conclave 2025, Majhi added.
The state government is taking special care to ensure the implementation of these projects with focus on fostering an environment that supports industrial growth and economic development.
“For us, the only benchmark is our work, not how many days we have been in government or how many more we will stay. What matters is making the most of the time we have - serving the people of Odisha - which is what I and my government are committed to doing wholeheartedly,” Majhi said.
The Appropriation Bill for expenditure of Rs 2.9 lakh crore was passed through voice vote.