Finance
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi launched the Mukhyamantri Annapurna Yojana on Friday, under which beneficiaries covered by the National Food Security Act (NFSA) and State Food Security Scheme (SFSS) will receive an additional 5 kg of rice per month for free, bringing their total monthly entitlement to 10 kg per person.
The announcement came as the state government led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reached the end of its two-year term.
During a news conference, Majhi stated that the state government has introduced 121 new schemes, programmes, and initiatives in the last two years, saying that Odisha is slowly progressing toward the objective of becoming a “Samruddha Odisha” by 2036.
The Chief Minister emphasized the government’s welfare and development programs, saying women’s empowerment has remained a top focus. He listed major schemes like as Subhadra, Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha, and Kanya Sumangala Yojana, and claimed that over four million Self-Help Groups (SHGs) obtained subsidised bank loans totaling Rs 38,795 crore during the period.
Majhi further claimed that Odisha has emerged as a leader in the creation of “Lakhpati Didis,” a reflection of the government’s attempts to improve women’s economic empowerment.
The Chief Minister referred to farmers as “Annadatas” and stated that the administration has taken various initiatives to enhance the agriculture sector, including the implementation of the Samruddha Krushak Yojana, one of the first important choices made after the BJP took office in the state.
In a big education announcement, Majhi stated that education from Kindergarten (KG) to Postgraduate (PG) level would be fully free in Odisha.
The Chief Minister further stated that the Ayushman Bharat-Gopabandhu Jan Arogya Yojana has provided cashless healthcare benefits to 3.46 crore beneficiaries, who have access to treatment in over 32,000 hospitals across the country. He said that several newly established medical colleges have become operational during the government’s time, and more are in the works.
Regarding infrastructure development, Majhi stated that the state has allocated Rs 72,100 crore to capital expenditure in the current budget, which is equivalent to 6.5 percent of Odisha’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), the most among all states.
The Chief Minister, emphasizing industrialization as a vital engine of growth, stated that Odisha has received investment proposals totaling Rs 20 lakh crore through the Utkarsh Odisha conclave and numerous investment summits and roadshows held around the country.
Responding to opposition criticism of the double-engine government’s performance, Majhi cited the removal of the term “Dham” from the Jagannath temple project in Digha, as well as current railway projects worth Rs 90,000 crore and road projects worth more than Rs 30,000 crore in the state.
He also mentioned significant infrastructure initiatives such as the Rameswar-Tangi and Rameswar-Paradip coastal highways, as well as the projected Bhubaneswar-Cuttack-Puri-Paradip Corridor, claiming that these projects will speed up regional growth. Majhi added that preparations are underway to expand Bhubaneswar into a Greater Bhubaneswar urban zone.
