Odisha Assembly passes Appropriation Bill-2015; Opposition slams Govt

Bhubaneswar, Dec 12: The Odisha Assembly has passed the Appropriation Bill-2015 on Friday which will allow the state government to spend Rs.11,448 crore as supplementary budget in the current fiscal year.

Opposition Congress leaders slammed the state government for introducing the bill and policy paralysis. They alleged that the BJD government had failed in protecting interest of people of Odisha and schemes introduced by the government have failed. Leader of Opposition Narashinga Mishra said that government policies did not pacify agitating teachers, students, Dalits and women. Those were protesting against the government’s policies, he added. Mishra stated there was policy paralysis in the state and the state government has no fund to carry out development work.

Tabling the bill, Odisha Finance Minster Pradeep Amat said that the state government has given importance to infrastructure development and industries in the state. He added that there was cut of 15 percent in the central government’s fund allocation to Odisha. As a result, the state would bear additional fiscal burden of Rs.7,665 core, he added.