Odisha CM Mohan Charan Majhi Strives for a ‘People’s Budget’

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi is committed to presenting a budget that truly reflects the aspirations and expectations of all sections of society. Participating in the pre-budget discussions organized at the convention hall of the Lok Seva Bhavan on Friday, the Chief Minister emphasized the importance of incorporating the views of the public into the budget.

“Our efforts continue to ensure that our budget truly reflects the aspirations and expectations of all as a ‘people’s budget’. That is why we accept the views of all sections of society. As a people’s government, our tradition of valuing the views of the common people will continue,” said Majhi.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister engaged in discussions with various civil society organizations, experts, and representatives from different sectors. Accompanying him were his two Deputy Chief Ministers, Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo and Pravati Parida, Principal Secretary of the Finance Department Saswat Mishra, and other senior finance officers.

The discussions featured contributions from 26 eminent individuals, including former Finance Ministers Prafulla Chandra Ghadai, Panchanan Kanungo, and Sashibhusan Behera, former Finance Secretaries, the Regional Director of the RBI, and the General Manager of NABARD.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Chief Minister Majhi highlighted the government’s commitment to valuing public suggestions. “You know that our government has been giving importance to the suggestions of the general public as a people’s government since the beginning,” he stated.

The annual General Budget for the 2024-25 financial year is set to be presented in the Odisha Legislative Assembly on July 25. Majhi revealed that the government had collected suggestions from the public online, receiving over 12,000 responses, six times more than the previous year. He expressed his delight at this extensive participation, calling it “very encouraging.”