Bhubaneswar: Giving a mixed reaction to the Union Budget 2021-22, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said Odisha government would lose Rs 10,840 crore during upcoming fiscal for drastic reduction of share in central taxes. As per the recommendations of the 15th Finance Commission the horizontal share will decrease from 4.629 per cent to 4.528 per cent for the next five years. This will seriously impact Odisha, Naveen Patnaik said.
Similarly, capital investments are very much required in Odisha both in Railway and Highway sectors. But, it has been planned for other states, Naveen pointed out.
The Chief Minister also said there is a need to increase allocation in social assistance programmes and quantum of transfers for local bodies. The centralisation of revenue by introduction of cess in petrol and diesel will weaken the centre-state fiscal balance. Banks have to be made accountable to extend credit to women, farmers and MSMEs, Naveen opined.
Naveen also expressed happiness that the Union Budget has turned green with it being presented digitally. He said Odisha had presented the state budget digitally last year and now others are following suit.
The Odisha Chief Minister also said that he has liked certain aspects of the Union Budget presented Monday by Nirmala Sitharaman. Among them are the decision to on capital investment to push growth, reintroduction of developmental financial institution, allocation for COVID-19 vaccine, bold decision to expand fiscal deficit to provide growth impetus and a medium and long-term vision for a self-reliant India.
“I am also delighted to see Mission Shakti appear in Union Budget focusing on women empowerment. After Odisha’s Mamata scheme was adopted by Union Government in 2011-2012, replication of our state’s flagship women empowerment initiative Mission Shakti clearly shows that Odisha sets benchmark for the nation,” Naveen said.
Patnaik is hopeful that like ‘Mamata’ and ‘Mission Sakti’, the next logical step towards women empowerment would be reservation for the opposite sex in the Lok Sabha and all the state assemblies.