Know The Odisha Connections In FM Sitharaman’s Budget Team

By OB Bureau On Feb 1, 2022

Bhubaneswar: More infrastructure, more investment, more growth and more jobs,” said Prime Minister Modi on Budget 2022.

While the 90-minute long budget speech by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman elicited a positive response from the corporate sector, the opposition criticised the government for not paying attention to the needs of the middle class.

The Union Budget is prepared through a consultative process, involving the Finance Ministry, government planning body, NITI Aayog and several spending ministries, over several months.

Apart from Nirmala Sitharaman, the Budget is heavily dependent on her A-team.

Did you know that an IAS officer of the Odisha cadre and an Odia officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre were part of the FM team?

Sitharaman’s A team, comprising TV Somanatham Tarun Bajaj, Debashish Panda, Ajay Seth and Tuhin Kanta Pandey, have been the brains behind deciding how the amount during each fiscal is allocated to different sectors.

Tuhin Kanta Pandey is a 1987-batch officer from Odisha cadre and is currently serving as secretary, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM). He has been spearheading the government’s divestment project and played a key role in the transfer of Air India to Tata group. The central government will privatise five or six companies, including Bharat Petroleum, Shipping Corporation of India and Pawn Hans, in the current financial year of 2021-22.

Odisha-born Debashish Panda had played a key role in the revival of public sector offices, as Secretary, Department of Financial Services. Banks have performed well despite the pandemic thanks to this 1987-batch IAS officer.

However, Panda’s term ended on January 31 and another IAS officer of Odisha cadre, Rajesh Verma, who is currently serving as Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA) Secretary, has been given the additional charge of the Finance Secretary.

Rajesh Verma was clicked with Sitharaman before the Ministry of Finance this morning.

Odisha-born Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer JB Mohapatra, who is serving as chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), was also a brain behind the Budget.