Odisha Budget Bytes: Over Rs 9000 Crore Booster Dose For Public Health

Bhubaneswar: Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari presented a Budget that aspired for “New Odisha, Empowered Odisha” in the Assembly on Monday.

In his Budget speech, the minister said the agenda is to transform health, agriculture, education, livelihoods, infrastructure as well as industries to the next level with adequate safeguard for the vulnerable sections of the society.

Here are the highlights of the proposed budgetary allocations in several sectors:

Health Sector

A total sum of Rs 9,164 crore is allocated for public health care with an increase of about 19% over previous year.

These include Rs 1,353 crore provided under the scheme Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana for free medical facilities with coverage up to ₹5 lakh per family in case of male members and up to ₹10 lakh per family in case of female beneficiaries.

Rs 3,500 crore is proposed to convert SCB Medical College into “AIIMS Plus Institute” to provide world-class healthcare facilities over next three years and Rs 500 crore has been allocated for 2021-22.

Provision of Rs 1,572 crore made under Mukhyamantri Swasthya Seva Mission for building health infrastructure and services.

Rs 370 crore proposed for maintaining quality of sanitation, laundry, security, gardening & lift service in public health facilities under Nirmal Scheme.

Agriculture

To bring about transformative change in the agriculture and allied sectors, there is provision of Rs 1,800 crore under KALIA Scheme, Rs 450 crore under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY), Rs 795 crore for construction of “Instream Storage Structures (ISS)” on all major rivers, and Rs 819 crore under the Interest Subsidy/Subvention scheme for farmers.

Heritage Sites

A mega plan to transform Puri into a World Heritage City under ABADHA scheme by allocating Rs.542 crore.

Transformative initiative for ‘EkamraKshetra Amenities and Monuments Revival Action (EKAMRA) Plan’ by spending Rs 200 crore under ‘EKAMRA Plan’ to pedestrianize more than 65 acres around the Lingaraj temple

A comprehensive plan to transform Samaleswari Temple Area Management And Local Economic Initiative (SAMALEI) with an outlay of Rs 200 crore under SAMALEI Scheme.

Sports

A new world-class hockey stadium over 15 acres of land at Rourkela with an outlay of Rs 90 crore.

Also Read: Odisha Budget Bytes: Tourism and Sports Gets All-Time High Allocation