Odisha finance minister Niranjan Pujari
BHUBANESWAR: Given the state’s immense tourism potential, this year’s budget could prove to be the game changer in the years to come. While talks have mostly centred around building temple infrastructure, the budget showed the developments could usher in greater footfall to the state and open up new revenue streams.
On Monday, finance minister Niranjan Pujari made a huge allocation of Rs 942 crore for three temple projects in Puri, Bhubaneswar and Sambalpur, a move that is likely to boost temple tourism in the state. Besides, the minister has also hiked allocation for the tourism sector by 25% in a bid to promote eco-tourism, which has generated plenty of buzz off late.
Odisha FM presents Rs 1.7 lakh crore budget for 2021-22
By IANS |
Published on
Mon, Feb 22 2021 19:03 IST |
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Odisha Finance Minister Niranjan Pujar. Image Source: IANS News
Bhubaneswar, Feb 22 : Odisha Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari presented the annual budget for 2021-22 with an outlay of Rs 1.7 lakh crore in the state Assembly on Monday.
Pujari also presented a separate agriculture budget of Rs 17,468 crore.
The Minister said despite the severe impact of Covid-19 pandemic, the state s own revenue is estimated to register a robust growth of about 10 per cent during 2020-21, though there is a decline in the central transfer.
In the budget, the state government has proposed to spend Rs 3,500 crore over the period of three years to convert SCB Medical College and Hospital into AIIMS Plus institute to provide world-class healthcare facilities to citizens.
Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday announced a Rs 200-crore package for the development of the 16th-century shrine of Maa Samaleswari, the presiding deity of western Odisha. The SAMALEI (Samaleswari Temple Area Management and Local Economy Initiatives) project will be implemented during the 2021-22 fiscal. It envisages construction of a km-long walkway for parikrama , separate entry and exit gates, emergency facilities for the temple office, interpretation centre and preservation of Gopalji Math besides accommodation, parking facilities, toilets, information kiosks and donation centres. Housing will be developed for servitors and a 30- metre-wide road will be constructed from the temple to the Mahanadi Gate Road.