Union Budget 2025: Opposition In Odisha Accuses Centre Of ‘Double Betrayal’

Bhubaneswar: The opposition parties have slammed the Centre for ignoring Odisha in Union Budget 2025.

Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly and BJD president Naveen Patnaik said that the Budget did not address the two most pressing challenges – unemployment and inflation. “Today, the youth of the country are in the dire need of jobs and common people are bearing the brunt of unchecked price rise of essential commodities. It is unfortunate that two of the most pressing challenges the country is facing, have not been addressed in the Budget 2025,” he posted on X.

He further stated that Odisha has been rightfully demanding for special category status in view of numerous natural calamities it faces every year. “While other states are getting special provisions in the budget, yet again Odisha’s genuine demand has been completely overlooked by the central government,” he added.

Rajya Sabha member from BJD Sasmit Patra said that there is there is nothing special in the budget in the context of Odisha. He accused the double-engine Mohan Majhi government in Odisha of double betrayal. “… Many states are being given a lot of airports. Perhaps the reason why Odisha has to suffer this day that there is no mention of the state in the budget is because the people of Odisha have given 20 Lok Sabha seats to the BJP…,” he told ANI. 

Taking to his X handle, former minister and senior BJD leader Ranendra Pratap Swain described the Budget as inflationary with no roadmap to create jobs for the aspiring youth. “Except some relief for income tax payees, the Budget presented for 2025-26 is quite disappointing. Failure to allocate more money for Capex, cut down on agri-spending, Crop Insurance Scheme & fertiliser and no increase in lifeline schemes like MNREGS will not spur growth. This budget is largely inflationary and there is no roadmap to create jobs for the aspiring youths. The NDA government missed the bus yet again to bring back Indian economy back on track,” he said.

Former OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said that there was not a single major announcement for Odisha, which gave 20 out of 21 MPs to the BJP. “…over the last 10 years, this government has collected ₹54.18 lakh crore in income tax from the middle class. Now, they claim to offer relief by exempting income up to ₹12 lakh—an annual saving of just ₹80,000, or a mere ₹6,666 per month. Is this supposed to be a gift for the people struggling with inflation and unemployment? This is yet another budget full of hollow promises. To hide its failures, the Modi government has rebranded Make in India as the National Manufacturing Mission. The same old schemes, new names, and zero real impact,” he wrote on X.