Bhubaneswar: Chief Secretary Anu Garg Thursday directed departments to expedite budgetary expenditure and ensure timely execution of development projects while reviewing the state’s fiscal performance and key administrative initiatives at a high-level meeting at Kharavela Bhawan.
The meeting, attended by Development Commission er-cum-Additional Chief Secretary Deoranjan Kumar Singh and senior departmental secretaries, reviewed expenditure under the 2026-27 Budget and preparations for the supplementary and 2027-28 annual Budgets.
Reviewing the state’s achievements since October, Garg highlighted investment proposals worth 1.17 lakh crore in renewable energy, signing of 18 MoUs, industrial projects at Kalinganagar, inauguration of the RBI Data Centre and appointment letters issued to 2,067 candidates.
The conviction rate in corruption cases has also risen to 65 per cent, she noted. The meeting reviewed the state’s fiscal performance up to October 31. Overall budget expenditure registered a 9.9 per cent increase over the corresponding period last year, while programme expenditure grew by 11 per cent. Capital expenditure rose by 27.2 per cent and infrastructure spending by 13.5 per cent.
The Chief Secretary stressed that the next Budget should align with the long-term goals of Viksit Odisha 2036 and Viksit Bharat 2047, with greater allocation and expenditure in social security, education, healthcare, drinking water, women and child development, Mission Shakti, tribal welfare and skill development.
She also directed departments to accelerate relief and restoration work in areas af fected by Cyclone Arnab and subsequent floods in Ganjam district. The meeting reviewed business reforms under the Ease of Doing Business initiative and service delivery under the Odisha Right to Public Services Act, 2012.
Of 451 notified services across 32 departments, 371 are available online, while 80 remain offline. The automatic appeal mechanism covers 241 services, 265 are monitored through the Central Monitoring System and 208 are integrated with the Aa ma Sathi WhatsApp chatbot.
Departments were asked to bring the remaining services online and strengthen transparency, coordination and timely delivery of public services.