Odisha Assembly Erupts Over Appropriation Bill Debate

BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo opened the discussion and accused the government of poor financial management. He argued that the administration increased the budget size through loans but failed to spend effectively. He highlighted rising crimes against women and cited incidents such as the Soumyashree suicide, the Gopalpur gang rape, and child abuse cases in Balanga and Malkangiri. He stressed that Odisha now reports nearly 15 rape cases daily, creating fear among women.

Congress MLA Rama Chandra Kadam questioned the government’s ability to utilise funds. He said the annual budget remained underspent and raised doubts about how the supplementary budget would be managed. He pointed to shortages of doctors and teachers and claimed tribal rights were being ignored while mining projects deprived them of entitlements.

BJP MLA Tankadhar Tripathy countered sharply and reminded the House of 24 years of BJD rule. He said BJD leaders admitted failures and accused the party of breaking promises on cold storage, drinking water supply, farmer bonuses, and youth employment. He argued that Odisha voters already rejected BJD in recent elections and predicted no return to power for decades.

Opposition Deputy Leader Prasanna Acharya described the budget as “an illusion.” He said economic discussions gave way to political rhetoric. He referred to NITI Aayog data and argued that Odisha once faced bankruptcy but later achieved fiscal stability. He accused the current government of mismanaging a strong economy handed over to it and cited falling GST collections and declining mining revenue.

The heated debate over the Appropriation Bill revealed deep divisions as opposition parties demanded accountability and the BJP defended its record by pointing to the BJD’s long rule.

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