BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Government expects a better deal in the Central budget to be presented in Parliament on Friday in view of the changed political scenario due to the growing bonhomie between BJD and BJP.
Besides enhanced allocation in infrastructure and social sectors to repair the damage caused by extremely severe cyclone Fani which hit Odisha on May 3, the State also expects an increase in provision in the Railway Budget for 2019-20.
Addressing the fifth meeting of the governing council of NITI Aayog on June 15 and meeting of presidents of all parties convened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 19 at New Delhi, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had proposed that States hit by major calamities may be declared as ‘Special Focus States’ and granted benefits of Special Category Status for a specific period.
Besides, keeping in view the huge requirement of resources for reconstruction efforts and development of the State, he had urged upon the Centre to revise royalty on coal which is due for revision from May 2015 from 14 per cent to 20 per cent of the sale value. The State also expects a revision of royalty on minerals.
Odisha Government, which placed a budget of Rs 1,39,000 crore for 2019-20 on June 28, has anticipated the State’s share in Central taxes at Rs 39,207 crore and Rs 30,559 grants from the Centre.
Besides, the State Government also wants enhanced allocation in the Railway Budget. Commerce and Transport Minister Padmanabha Behera said the Government wants the adequate allocation to complete ongoing projects in time. “Only token provision does not serve any purpose and delays the projects,” he said.
The delay in completion of the Khurda-Balangir remains a major concern as progress has been very slow. The Centre had made allotment of Rs 7,010 crore in the interim budget presented before the elections for East Coast Railway (ECoR) which was 13 per cent more than the last year’s provision of Rs 5,252 crore. Allocation for new lines this year has been pegged at Rs 2,630 crore which is 67 per cent more than the last year’s provision.
A new 14.5 km line has been sanctioned between Talcher and Angul with an estimated project cost of Rs 278 crore.
Besides, there was allotment of Rs 181 crore for passenger amenities, an increase from Rs 82 crore provided last year. Six other new railway line projects find a place in the interim budget. These include 98.7 km-long Angul-Sukinda Road with a budget grant of Rs 250 crore, Haridaspur-Paradip (82 km) with Rs 400 crore and Khurda Road- Balangir (289 km) with Rs 350 crore.