Odisha Appropriation Bill 2025: A Blueprint for Fiscal Discipline Amid Political Discord

The Odisha Assembly passed the 2025 Appropriation Bill, approving a budget of Rs 2.90 lakh crore for 2025-26 amidst political tensions. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stressed fiscal discipline, while opposition parties criticized the BJP government for lacking innovation in budget utilization.

The Odisha Assembly witnessed political drama as it passed the Appropriation Bill for 2025 amidst an opposition walkout and absence of Congress MLAs. The bill permits the state to allocate Rs 2.90 lakh crore from its consolidated fund for the fiscal year 2025-26.

This marks the BJP government's inaugural complete budget, presented by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Emphasizing fiscal prudence, Majhi outlined that the budget is built on two criteria: size and fiscal discipline, proposing a 10% increase over the previous fiscal.

While Chief Minister Majhi proudly announced Odisha's financial health, allocating over Rs 5,000 crore monthly for capital expenditure, opposition BJD members criticized the budget's lack of novelty and questioned its implementation efficacy, leading to a walkout in protest.

(With inputs from agencies.)