Bhubaneswar: Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Pratap Sarangi and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi hailed the Union Budget, terming it as historic and revolutionary.
Pradhan said “It is a historic Budget and Odisha will get a lion’s share from it.” The Budget has taken appropriate measures to revive consumption and investment, boost manufacturing, strengthen infrastructure, encourage MSMEs and give a thrust to growth, employment and new opportunities, said Pradhan.
Highlighting the projects that would benefit Odisha, Pradhan said the number of beneficiaries under Ujjwala scheme has been increased to 9 crore from the previous 8 crore. The subsidised LPG gas connection and cylinder is given to people from economically backward sections of the country.
The supplementary nutrition programme and Poshan Abhiyaan has been merged to launch Mission Poshan 2.0 to strengthen nutritional content, delivery, outreach, and outcome. Odisha’s 10 districts will benefit under the POSHAN Abhiyan, he stated.
Importance has also been given to Odisha in textile parks coming up in 3 years period.
Odisha’s Paradip is among the 5 port cities in the country which will be developed as fishing harbours and fish landing centres, he added.
On the education front, announcement has been made on opening of Ekalavya and Sainik schools, Odisha will benefit from this also, the Union Minister added.
Union Minister Pratap Sarangi said it is a revolutionary budget and has taken care of every segment of the society. Health sector has been given priority considering that immunity and capability to fight diseases is the first step to a healthy society.
Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development funds hiked from Rs 30,000 crore to Rs 40,000 crore and in MSME the Budget has been increased by 2 per cent, he said.
Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi termed it as people-centric and was all praise for the Finance Minister for her visionary budget. She said this budget has spoken more about urban India. Swatcha Bharat and Swachh Bharat Mission will be taken up in urban India.
Sarangi said the budget proposed to start Atama Nirbhar Bharat Swasthya Yojana will start soon and this is a huge step by the central government.
In the announcement on railways too, Odisha will benefit from the East Coast freight corridor development from Kharagpur in West Bengal to Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh. A major portion of the corridor will pass through Odisha and benefit the state in a big way in the future.
The budget has announced adoption of an intensified strategy to improve nutritional outcomes across 112 Aspirational Districts in the country, including Odisha, she added.
