Bhubaneswar: Opposition BJD Friday sought clarification from Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi or his office on whether the state is soliciting a loan from the World Bank.
The Opposition party sought clarification a day after the Chief Minister and senior Odisha government officials met World Bank president Ajay Banga and his team at the secretariat in Bhubaneswar.
The BJD at a press conference here alleged that Odisha is taking loans from the open market at a high rate of interest. “If so, is the World Bank okay with it? Since the World Bank does not subscribe to open-market loans, were they satisfied with 38 per cent loan coming from open market?” asked BJD spokesperson Lenin Kumar Mohanty.
Stating that the World Bank president Ajay Banga met the chief minister on Thursday, the BJD leader said, “The CM or the CMO should clarify whether Odisha is soliciting a loan from the World Bank. Is the World Bank okay with our fiscal deficit, which has increased from 1.7 per cent to 3.5 per cent?”
The opposition party claimed that Odisha’s debt burden has increased by Rs 91,000 crore in just 18 months during the BJP government. “Are we heading towards a financial mess? Is the World Bank okay with this?” Mohanty said in a post on X.
“As a responsible opposition party, we seek clarity from the CM of Odisha, who is also the Finance minister, or from his CMO, on whether a rosy picture is being presented to the World Bank amid financial chaos in our state to solicit loans,” he said.
After meeting Banga, Majhi in a post on X on Thursday, had said: “The World Bank appreciated Odisha’s focus on skill development and initiatives like the Central Tool Room and Training Centre (CTTC). He reaffirmed support through technical assistance, policy guidance, and partnerships, emphasising institutional capacity and public-private collaboration.”