By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR:Union Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan addressed a press conference in Bhubaneswar on Saturday and termed the Union Budget 2026-27 as a strong foundation for building a ‘Developed India’. Inspired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’, the budget has fulfilled the aspirations of all sections of the society and opened new doors of development for Odisha in important sectors like education, agriculture and tourism. Notably, State BJP President Shri Manmohan Samal was present at the conference.
This budget will benefit Odisha in important sectors like agriculture, education and tourism. Special priority has been given to strengthening the state’s agricultural infrastructure, creating new opportunities in the education sector and developing world-class tourism destinations. The ‘Purro Oday’ scheme aims to make Odisha a major hub of development in the country. A record number of Rs 10,928 crore has been allocated to Odisha in the Railway Budget, which is about 13 times more than the average grant of 2009-14. On the other hand, the development of National Waterway No. 5 from Talcher-Angul to Paradip-Dhamra through the Brahmani and Mahanadi rivers and the establishment of a new ‘Rare Earth Corridor’ in the state will take Odisha’s industrial and mineral infrastructure to a new level. Special emphasis has been given in this budget on the ‘New Age Economy’. New technology and proper utilization of mineral resources will create many new employment opportunities for the youth of the state. Reservoirs and Amrit Sarovar will be developed in the state for irrigation purposes, which will be a boon for the districts of KBK.
This budget will bring a big change in the lives of about 1.5 million fishermen and tribal brothers and sisters of Odisha. The reduction in tax on fishermen from 5% to 2% will benefit the workers from Sambalpur to Mayurbhanj. Providing special assistance for coconut, cashew and cocoa cultivation in the coastal areas shows the government’s commitment to the welfare of the poor and farmers. By connecting women self-help groups and fishermen organizations with the market through startups, fisheries in the coastal areas will be strengthened. This step will increase the income of our fishermen brothers and sisters and further strengthen the blue economy. It will create new employment opportunities in the coastal areas of Odisha. Projects like ‘Turtle Trails’ in places like Gahirmatha on the coast of Odisha will give a new identity to the state’s tourism industry and strengthen the economy. The Modi government has expressed its commitment in this budget to bring the benefits of development to the people at the bottom of society.
