Bhubaneswar: Leader of Opposition and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Supremo Naveen Patnaik Friday strongly criticized the Odisha Budget 2026-27 presented in the Assembly by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, likening it to “a full menu in an empty kitchen.”
In a statement issued here, Patnaik expressed deep disappointment, alleging that the so-called “double engine government” is steering the state in the reverse direction despite promising transformative development for the people of Odisha. Patnaik remarked that under the present government, every newborn child in Odisha would effectively carry a per-capita loan burden of nearly Rs. 30,000.
He warned that the state’s total debt is expected to soon reach Rs.1,30,000 crore, a development he said could severely strain Odisha’s finances and derail its development momentum as well as welfare initiatives. Recalling his tenure, the former Chief Minister stated that when the BJD government assumed office, much of the state’s revenue was used to repay loans and service debts, leaving limited funds for development.
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However, through years of meticulous planning and fiscal prudence, his government significantly reduced the loan burden. Patnaik accused the BJP government of pushing Odisha toward financial instability. He further pointed out that people had hoped the “Double Engine” model would bring double benefits, particularly increased grant-in-aid from the Centre.
Instead, he claimed, central remittances to Odisha have been shrinking year after year, especially over the past two years. While welcoming the Chief Minister’s tribute to farmers in his budget speech, Patnaik argued that the financial proposals fall short of addressing the real challenges faced by the farming community.
Describing the budget as filled with grand promises but lacking concrete measures for sustainable development, he concluded, “It is like a full menu in an empty kitchen.” Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has described the Budget as a welfare-oriented and forward-looking blueprint aimed at building a “Developed Odisha.”
The budget, presented in the State Assembly by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, outlines a comprehensive development strategy focusing on inclusive growth, infrastructure expansion, and sectoral advancement across the state, he stated.