Odisha 2024-25 Budget Sparks Political Debate

The newly presented Odisha state budget 2024-25 sparked a heated political debate. BJD MLA Pratap Dev criticized it for lack of innovation, while former CM Naveen Patnaik termed it a double disappointment. State Deputy CM Paravati Parida and Deputy CM KV Sing Deo praised it for its focus on welfare and development.

Launching a scathing attack against Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi-led Odisha government over the state budget 2024-25 presented on Thursday, BJD MLA Pratap Dev said there is nothing new in the budget. 'If you see today's budget, it's recasting the last govt's budget... The appalling thing is what they have propagated once they came into the govt that they will look into the issues in new ways, but I see nothing new, the old schemes have been renamed. Prima facie the govt has tried to keep its poll promise and secondly, the last government's agenda has been carbon copied,' said Pratap Dev.

Former Odisha CM and LoP Naveen Patnaik slammed the state budget, saying it was the double-engine but double disappointment. 'About the Union budget, I will say - it was the double-engine but double disappointment. About the state budget, I would say - I noticed that more than 40 of my govt schemes have just been renamed. I will go through it in detail and then I'll comment on the budget,' he said.

Meanwhile, countering the opposition and appreciating the state budget, State Deputy CM Pravati Parida said this is the first government that delivers what it has promised. 'We formed the govt saying that it will be a people's govt... The previous govt used to talk but never made provisions in the budget. Our govt does what it says... Our target is to make 25 lakhs 'lakhpati didi' by 2027. This is the first govt that has started delivering what it had said...' she stated.

Odisha Deputy CM KV Sing Deo said the state budget is for the welfare of the poor, women, and youth. 'Today, the CM has presented the first budget of BJP in Odisha. The budget has two parts - the agriculture budget and the general budget. It includes what the PM has emphasized. It is for the poor, women, youth... The CM has tried to ensure the overall development. This is a people's budget, a people-oriented budget that will help in the development of Odisha...' he added.

It is noteworthy that the Odisha government on Thursday presented a Rs 2.65 lakh crore budget for the 2024-25 fiscal.

(With inputs from agencies.)