Bhubaneswar, Feb 3: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Monday said Odisha will have the lion's share of the Union Budget and the double-engine government will double the State's development.

"The budget has been prepared for a developed Odisha and a developed India. Health and education have been given top priority in the budget. Investment intents worth Rs 13 lakh crore have come through the Make in Odisha Conclave. Sectors such as IT, electronics, pharmaceuticals, textiles and agriculture will get a boost," the Union Minister said and termed the budget as historic, futuristic, and visionary.

The Union Minister said the Union Budget will meet all the needs from the birth of a child to high-level research and skill development. He thanked the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister for an all-inclusive budget. The MSME sector has been given a boost. Odia entrepreneurs will be the biggest beneficiaries of this, he underlined.

He remarked that the tax rebate on income up to Rs 12 lakh is a big gift from the Modi government to the middle class. "States like Odisha will especially benefit from this budget. There are 50 tourist destinations in the country. Odisha will benefit from this. This budget will help in fulfilling the Purvodaya dream of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," said Pradhan.

Pradhan said the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 programme will provide nutritional support to over 36 lakh children, pregnant women and lactating mothers in Odisha. 100 districts will be covered under the PM-Dhana Krishi Yojana. Credit limit for Kisan Credit Card holders in Odisha has been increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. This will benefit 40 lakh Kisan Credit Card holders in Odisha. While there are 863 Atal Tinkering Labs in Odisha now, more such labs will be establised in coming days.

Under the BharatNet project, internet and broadband connectivity will be provided to all 3,659 government secondary schools and all primary health centres in rural areas that do not have internet and broadband connectivity. In the next three years, daycare cancer centres will be set up in all district headquarters hospitals of Odisha. This budget will help in fulfilling the initiatives taken for 100 start-ups by 2036 in IIT Bhubaneswar, IIM Sambalpur and NIT Rourkela in Odisha. Urban Challenge Fund of Rs 1 lakh crore will be used for the development of cities in Odisha, Pradhan observed.

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