Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly on Thursday passed the Supplementary Appropriation Bill , 2024, allowing the state government to utilize ₹12,156 crore from its Consolidated Fund for the remaining period of the 2024-25 fiscal year. The bill was passed despite a walkout by opposition members from the BJD and Congress.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who holds the Finance portfolio, had presented the supplementary budget of ₹12,156 crore on November 26, adding to the annual outlay of ₹2.65 lakh crore announced in July.
In Majhi’s absence, as he was attending the swearing-in ceremony of Maharashtra’s new government in Mumbai, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan presented the Supplementary Appropriation Bill in the Assembly.
Speaking in support of the bill, Harichandan detailed the key provisions of the supplementary budget. He explained that ₹10,155 crore was allocated for program expenditures, which include ₹8,121 crore for state sector schemes, ₹2,011 crore for centrally sponsored schemes, and ₹23 crore for central sector schemes. The budget also introduced new allocations, including ₹92 crore for the Dharti Aaba Janjatiya Gram Utkarsh Abhiyan (DAJGUA) and ₹142 crore under the Rural Development Department for constituency-wise development.
Further allocations included ₹125 crore for organizing the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Bhubaneswar in January 2025, ₹130 crore for establishing centers of excellence in 22 Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs), ₹26 crore for the Srimandir Parikrama Project, and ₹5 crore for the Ratna Bhandar of the Lord Jagannath Temple in Puri.
The State’s flagship women’s welfare program, Subhadra Yojana, received a significant allocation of ₹1,196 crore. Under this initiative, eligible women are entitled to ₹10,000 annually in two installments over five years. Harichandan noted that ₹4,180 crore has already been disbursed as the first installment of ₹5,000 to 80 lakh women, with plans to extend the benefit to 1 crore women by the end of this financial year.
Harichandan emphasized that the supplementary budget reflects the government’s commitment to inclusive development, with a focus on rural upliftment, women’s empowerment, and improving infrastructure. The passage of the bill, he added, underscores the state’s resolve to accelerate growth and meet pressing developmental needs.
