Speed up Odisha budget spending for 2025-26 : Anu Garg

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Odisha Chief Secretary urges faster utilisation of budget funds before financial year end
Capital expenditure up 14 percent compared to last year
AI platform Sarvam AI showcased for governance and public services

Odisha Chief Secretary Anu Garg has directed secretaries of various departments to accelerate Odisha budget spending 2025-26 to ensure full utilisation of allocated funds before the financial year ends.

The instruction came during an all secretaries meeting held in Bhubaneswar, where the state’s financial performance and upcoming projects were reviewed.

Departments asked to maintain project timelines

During the meeting, Garg also reviewed the implementation of projects announced in the 2026-27 state budget and stressed the importance of meeting deadlines.

Officials were asked to monitor project progress closely and ensure that administrative processes do not delay execution.

Government sources said the state’s expenditure had already increased 9.3 percent by February end compared with the same period in the previous financial year.

Capital expenditure and sector spending rise

Several sectors have reported significant increases in spending.

Capital expenditure increased by 14 percent
Agriculture department spending rose by 13 percent
Fisheries and Animal Resources Development department recorded a 39 percent rise
Cooperation department saw the highest jump with 56 percent increase

The chief secretary also emphasised that departments must ensure revenue collection meets the state’s budget targets.

AI collaboration to improve governance

The meeting also included a presentation on the state government’s collaboration with Sarvam AI.

The platform demonstrated how artificial intelligence can help streamline administrative tasks and improve service delivery.

Sarvam AI, which partners with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and is part of the India AI Council, showcased several digital governance tools.