Odisha Goes For 2nd Vote-On-Account In One Financial Year; Know Why

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is scheduled to introduce a 2nd vote-on-account during a financial year in Odisha Assembly on Wednesday to meet the expenditure for implementation of government schemes and other administrative requirements for two months.

The second vote-on-account of 95,000 crore is for the months of August and September, and perhaps a first for Odisha.

The first vote-on-account of Rs 1.18 lakh crore placed by the previous BJD government on February 8, in view of the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, was for four months of the 2024-25 financial year.

According to sources, the need for second vote-on-account arose as the Appropriation Bill for the 2024-25 budget will be placed for approval in the Assembly on September 13. Since the first vote-on-account will last till July 31 and there was a need to take the approval of the House for making provision for functioning of the government for the next two months.

Notably, the Mohan Majhi government is likely to launch several flagship schemes, including Subhadra Yojana and paddy purchase from farmers at minimum support price of Rs 3,100 per quintal, during the next two months.

Sources further said that the two vote-on-accounts will exhaust Rs 2,08,000 crore of the main budget of Rs 2.65 lakh crore and the government may have to go for a supplementary budget to cover all the schemes which have been announced.

Also Read: Odisha CM Slams Naveen Patnaik Over ‘Name Changer, Jumla’ Jibe, Says Budget Will Fulfil People’s Dream

On Tuesday, Majhi had said that his maiden budget will serve as the groundwork for a prosperous Odisha by the time the state celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2036. He also justified the change of names of “certain schemes” saying all can’t be named after just one personality.