Odisha Assembly Gears Up For Crucial Pre-Election Budget Session
Our special correspondent has reported that the Odisha Legislative Assembly is set to initiate its Budget session which is scheduled to commence on February 5th and conclude on the 13th of the same month. The significance of this session is amplified given its timing right before the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections later this year. Major political forces including the reigning Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress are arming themselves to exploit this opportunity for optimizing electoral benefits.
All-Encompassing Security Plans
The elevated importance of this session has prompted the local authorities to devise a thorough security arrangement. State police have committed to deploying 28 platoons, combined with a suite of specialized squads, and advanced surveillance systems, focusing on the Assembly proper and surrounding zones in Bhubaneswar. The DCP Prateek Singh-orchestrated security operations will further intensify with provisional police control rooms and the presence of over a hundred police personnel. State DGP Arun Sarangi affirmed the comprehensive nature of these security measures.
Unprecedented Budget Proposal
Our internal sources informed that under the guidance of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the council of ministers greenlit a vote-on-account, scheduled for presentation by Finance Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha on February 8. The proposed budget, set at a spectacular Rs 2.7 lakh crore, breaks all previous records for Odisha. This solid figure is an indicator of the state’s economic potent, boosted largely by an all-time high in GST collection. In line with fostering development, the proposed budget contemplates diverting more assets towards improving infrastructure, promoting livelihood, enhancing irrigation, and strengthening panchayati raj sections.
Important Dates and Main Points
The vote-on-account’s appropriation bill is scheduled for tabling on February 9. We expect the Governor, Raghubar Das, to formalise the beginning of the session. Our sources predict a feisty session, with opposition parties prepping to bring to light contentious issues such as alleged scams by the government, failure in applying central government schemes effectively, and disregard shown towards esteemed litterateurs.
