Argus News - Odisha State Budget To Be Presented in Assembly On February 20

Bhubaneswar, Feb 5: The Odisha government will present the state Budget in the Legislative Assembly on February 20, Chief Secretary Anu Garg informed on Thursday.

Addressing the media after a pre-Budget consultation meeting held earlier in the day, Garg said that 19 eminent personalities, including a former finance minister, former finance secretaries and various stakeholders, shared their suggestions during the meeting. In addition, around 2,000 individuals submitted their views online.

The Chief Secretary said the government has invited suggestions from a wider section of people and that the upcoming Budget would reflect public opinion and priorities.

Former finance minister Niranjan Pujari, who participated in the consultation, advised the state government to exercise caution over increased borrowing from the market, stressing the need to closely monitor the rising debt component.

Business representative Sudhakar Panda emphasised the need for stronger Budgetary provisions for rural agriculture and the retail sector, highlighting their role in employment generation and economic stability.

On the real estate front, President of CREDAI Bhubaneswar, Sheikh Mirajul Haq, also placed his views before the government, calling for focused policy support for the sector in the forthcoming Budget.

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Officials said the pre-Budget exercise is aimed at incorporating diverse inputs from stakeholders to frame a more inclusive and people-centric financial plan for the state.