Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, March 18: As the state government gives more emphasis on capital expenditure to boost growth rate, infrastructure sector gets a lion share of budgetary allocation.
State Budget, announced Friday, increased the outlay for infrastructure development by more than 20 per cent to Rs 17,172.30 crore for 2016-17 from Rs 14,232.58 crore level in 2015-16.
Roads and related infra along with urban and rural segments get substantial chunk of this allocation. A sum of Rs 2,921.18 crore was allocated for improvement of 950 km of roads and construction of 34 bridges in the state. The Budget also has provisions for double-laning of state highways. “Biju Expressway will improve connectivity in Western Orissa and KBK districts,” the document said.
An allocation of Rs 6,489.86 crore was earmarked for maintenance and development of roads and bridges, water supply and sanitation and public buildings in rural areas. “Under Biju Setu Yojana (BSY) will establish 150 new bridges for all-weather connectivity in rural areas,” the Budget document said.
Similarly, an allocation of Rs 3,357.10 crore is done for development urban infrastructure and sanitation for making cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, it said.
While Rs 223.31 crore is allocated for maintenance of water supply projects and urban roads, provision of Rs 333.33 crore is done under Smart City Mission for Bhubaneswar as a Smart City.
To develop power infrastructure, an allocation of Rs 2,800.92 crore is earmarked in this budget.
The state Budget has also made provision for infusion of additional equity of Rs 300 crore over a period of 5 years to support OPTCL in taking up transmission projects in the financially unviable areas such as KBK and western Orissa.
