Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi today asked concerned officers to prepare a people-centric Annual Budget for the State for the year 2024-25.
Shri Majhi, who also holds two important portfolios of Finance and Planning & Convergence Departments, today held a meeting Development Commissioner and other senior officers of the P & C Department.
Development Commissioner Anu Garg, Special Secretary Planning & Convergence Chithra Armugam, Additional Secretary P&C Manish Agrawal and other senior officials were present.
The Chief Minister advised to start the process of consultation with the Finance Department and other stakeholders for preparation of a people-centric Annual Budget 2024-25 for Programme Expenditure that reflects the hopes and aspirations of the people.
Notably, in view of Assembly elections, the previous BJD Government had presented a ‘Vote on Account’ budget of Rs 1.18 lakh crore for the first four months of financial year 2024-25 in the State Assembly.
The interim budget was presented with estimating the total budget outlay for the next financial year at Rs 2.55 lakh crore, which is about 11 percent more than the annual budget of 2023-24.
As the BJP Government has come to power for the first time in Odisha and it will present its first budget in the Assembly next month, the State will come up with a comprehensive and people-oriented budget.
During the meeting, the CM also advised the officers to ensure effective and efficient implementation of the schemes of the Department and strengthen the planning process at district-level.
Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister also held a review meeting of the Water Resources Department. Majhi on Monday directed the officers of the Water Resources department for timely completion of the ongoing irrigation projects.
Holding a meeting with the top officers of the department, the Chief Minister has also directed to manage water efficiently during the delayed monsoon period. He advised the officials to be in a state of preparedness for managing possible flood situations during the ensuing monsoon.
Stressing that the improvement of the status of the farmers of the state is a top priority of his government, Shri Majhi said that the Water Resources department has a key role to play in making water available to them.
He further exhorted all the officers of the department to work with utmost sincerity, transparency and dedication for ensuring greater benefit for the farmers.