With the new BJP government at the helm in Odisha, Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo presented an extensive list of demands to the Centre during the pre-budget and GST council meetings chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Among the key demands is the establishment of a second AIIMS in Sambalpur to alleviate the patient load in western Odisha, complementing AIIMS-Bhubaneswar which serves the coastal regions and neighboring states.
Deputy CM Singh Deo also urged partial funding from the Centre for the Subhadra scheme, a significant electoral promise aimed at empowering women by providing vouchers worth ?50,000 each, to be encashed over two years.
Highlighting the vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047, Singh Deo emphasized the importance of Viksit Odisha as a growth engine. He called for specific measures in the Union Budget 2024-25 to address Odisha's economic and financial issues, including special schemes for industrial promotion in tribal and rural areas, and infrastructure development in western and southern regions.
The demands also include the allocation of funds for 5 lakh houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and the swift completion of key highway projects such as the 348-km coastal highway under Bharatmala Pariyojana and the 111-km Odisha Capital Region Ring Road (CRRR).
Additionally, Singh Deo requested higher allocations under the Scheme for Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SACI), improved banking infrastructure in unbanked regions, enhancements in telecom and power infrastructure, and the inclusion of Odisha under the revamped distribution sector scheme (RDSS).
Odisha's wishlist also features financial support for urbanization, fast-tracked environmental clearances, pumped hydro storage plants, floating solar projects, intra-state green corridors, and new technologies like green hydrogen. Singh Deo emphasized the need for funds to reduce power supply costs, reliable electricity, and surplus rice procurement during the ongoing kharif marketing season.
The deputy CM also sought Centre's assistance in attracting international investors and foreign direct investments (FDIs), particularly in the semiconductor industry, to position Odisha as a semiconductor hub. Support for major Central projects like Sagarmala, East Coast Economic Corridor, and National Waterway-5 was also requested.
Major Demands:
Partial funding for Subhadra scheme Second AIIMS at Sambalpur Expeditious completion of NH projects 5 lakh houses under PMAY Special schemes for western and southern Odisha Inclusion of Odisha under RDSS
