Odisha Governor’s address: Government achievements in statistics

The budget session witnessed stormy scenes as opposition members of BJP and Congress slammed the Biju Janata Dal .

The budget session of Odisha Assembly on 21 February 202 witnessed stormy scenes as opposition members of Bharatiya Janata Party and Congress slammed the Biju Janata Dal government over several issues including the murder of former Odisha health minister Naba Kishore Das and alleged deterioration of law and order situation in the state.

Amidst the uproar state governor Ganeshi Lal addressed the assembly but it was boycotted by the opposition members who staged a walkout. The governor’s speech was basically a statement of the state government about its claimed achievements.

Achievements of Odisha government in statistics

1. The 3rd edition of Make-In-Odisha Conclave, 2022 received investment intent of more than ₹10 lakh crore with employment potential of more than 10 lakhs. The event witnessed participation of 11 countries, hundreds of international delegates, including three country partners Japan, Germany and Norway and many industry captains.

2. During the Men’s Hockey World Cup 2023 held both in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, the world’s largest fully seated Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium with a seating capacity of 20,000 along with other infrastructural facilities was built within a record 15 months time. At least 20 hockey training centres with synthetic turf are being constructed to further boost the infrastructure in the hockey heartland and nurture talent from the grassroots level.

3. The state government has allocated more than 5% of GSDP during 2022-23 for continued thrust on creating quality infrastructure. It is claimed that this higher capital outlay with its multiplier effect has been instrumental in rapid economic growth and employment generation for the working population.

4. The Odisha Renewable Energy Policy, 2022 has been notified to encourage development of renewable projects of about 11,000 MW capacity in the state by 2030.

5. The state is now ranked No.1 with lowest unemployment rate in the country with a score of 0.9%, as per the report of the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. Odisha has set up more than 5 lakh MSMEs with more than ₹24,341 crore investment.

6. The government has recently formulated the Export Promotion Policy, 2022 to achieve an export target of Rs.3.5 lakh crore by 2026-27, with a view to taking Odisha to the league of top five exporting states.

7. The state aims to generate 25 crore person-days during the current year providing employment to 30 lakh households and 46 lakh wage seekers under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Generation Scheme.

8. The food grain production in the state has touched 130.39 lakh MT during 2020-21, which has more than doubled during the last 20 years. Similarly, Rice production in Odisha has touched an all-time high of 2,730 kg per hectare with a 2.5 times increase during the same 20 year period.

9. At least 41.08 lakh small and marginal farmers and 18.69 lakh landless agricultural households have already been provided assistance under the KALIA scheme. KALIA Scholarship introduced during 2021-22, to provide scholarship for higher studies to eligible children of the beneficiary farmers of KALIA programme has so far covered 765 students under the scheme.

10. For Kharif 2022 season, against crop loan dispensation target of ₹9,000 crore, cooperative banks and cooperative societies have financed Rs.8,711 crore to 18 lakh farmers, achieving 97% of the target. For Rabi 2022-23 season, crop loan dispensation target of ₹7,500 crore has been fixed by the cooperative banks as against last year’s Rabi target of Rs.6,500 crore.

11. The state has introduced commercial cage aquaculture in reservoirs by encouraging private entrepreneurs in 1% water area of large and medium reservoirs. This approach aims to increase fish production by an additional 1.25 lakh MT per annum. In this process, 104 sub-zones have been leased out to 76 entrepreneurs for cage culture in Hirakud reservoir.

12. The government has enhanced livelihood support to 15,000 fishermen families affected by imposition of fishing ban in Odisha for conservation and breeding of Olive Ridley Turtles from November to May every year at Devi River mouth, Rushikulya and Dhamra river mouth. There is also a year-round fishing ban at Bhitarkanika Marine Wildlife Sanctuary. This assistance has been enhanced from ₹7,500 to ₹15,000 per family from 2022-23.

13. New entrepreneurs are being encouraged to take up commercial layer units with a minimum 10,000 bird capacity under Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana, where 40-50% subsidy is provided with a maximum limit up to ₹50 lakh. This year it has been targeted to support 6,500 individual entrepreneurs and 3,000 women self help groups for establishment of small-scale broiler units.

14. Under the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, 75,000 poor patients are receiving treatment for critical ailments every month in over 500 empanelled private hospitals, for which the government is spending Rs.200 crore every month. Nearly 6 lakh beneficiaries have already availed benefits to the tune of Rs.1,200 crore through BSKY smart health cards.

15. The government has covered 93.03 lakh families comprising 3.24 crore beneficiaries under National Food Security Act and 2.92 lakh families with 9.05 lakh beneficiaries under the State Food Security Scheme. Annual allocation of 22.56 lakh MT of food grains is being distributed through 12,129 fair price shops at the rate of Re.1 per kg. Home delivery of ration is made to around 8,000 old and infirm beneficiaries through gram panchayat fair price shops.