Bhubaneswar: Odisha’s budget for the financial year 2023-24 has been aligned with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s vision of building a New Odisha – Empowered Odisha, said Finance Department Minister Niranjan Pujari today as he tabled the budget in Odisha Assembly. Below are the excerpts from the Finance Minister’s budget speech…
In the last 23 years, our Government, under the able leadership of Naveen Patnaik, has not only been able to raise the aspirations of our people but has also been able to meet them by taking the State on an unprecedented growth trajectory. From a State often counted amongst the most underdeveloped States, Odisha is now surging ahead to lead the country in many sectors. Transformation is our singular aim.
We are firmly committed on saving lives and livelihood from disasters, ensuring food and health security to all the people, political and economic empowerment of women, uplifting millions from poverty and all-round development and progress of the State. Our Government has always stood for, supported and advocated the cause of women, farmers, tribals, youths, labourers, religious minorities, and the weaker & backward sections of the society. Our strategy and hard work has yielded remarkable results.
Odisha has made rapid progress in irrigation, agriculture production & productivity, food security, pucca houses for all, safe drinking water, sanitation, electricity, road connectivity, education, skills, health care, livelihood opportunities, social security and urban development. We are today an attractive global destination for investment in manufacturing, information technology, service industries and start-ups. Significantly, Odisha is now a global sports hub with world-class infrastructure capable of successfully holding back-to-back international sporting events.
These achievements have been made despite vulnerability of our State to frequent natural calamities. As a matter of fact, Odisha has come a long way in its ability to respond to the natural disasters and has received global recognition from the United Nations.
Our Government is committed to enhancing credibility, accountability and transparency in Governance and Public Financial Management. The 5T mantra of our beloved Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik coupled with “Mo Sarkar” initiative has brought about transformation in every sphere of governance and service delivery.
As a participative process, we held pre-budget consultations with experts, representatives of different sections and people at large. 1930 suggestions were received through various modes across a range of subjects. We have carefully considered the suggestions and included some of them in the Budget. This reflects our commitment to our citizens and truly partnering them in budget-making and building “New Odisha-Empowered Odisha.”
“Like previous years, this Budget is in two parts. The first part is the Agriculture Budget and second part is the General Budget.”
