THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU

BHUBANESWAR, FEBRUARY 5, 2026

Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to participatory and transparent governance, stating that the 2026-27 State Budget will truly reflect the aspirations of the people and be prepared as a genuine “People’s Budget.”

Addressing a pre-budget consultation meeting at the Lok Seva Bhawan, the Chief Minister said his government firmly believes that the voice of the people is paramount. “Our government is a people’s government. For us, the people’s voice is the voice of God. That is why the budget-making process has moved beyond the Secretariat and reached out directly to citizens,” he said.

Majhi explained that valuable suggestions and opinions are being actively sought from the public, carefully examined, and incorporated into the budget after due analysis. This inclusive approach, he said, would ensure that the forthcoming budget addresses real needs and priorities of the people of Odisha.

The Chief Minister held detailed discussions with experts, representatives of civil society, industry bodies, social organisations, and professionals from various sectors as part of the pre-budget consultations. He highlighted that several key government initiatives were born out of public feedback, including the recently launched Mukhyamantri Kanya Bibaha Yojana. Upcoming programmes such as the Shri Jagannath Darshan initiative and the proposed Cuttack–Bhubaneswar–Paradip–Puri Economic Corridor have also emerged from public opinion.

Emphasising the importance of citizen participation, Majhi noted that policies, schemes, and programmes are being refined based on people’s feedback. He urged all stakeholders to offer well-considered suggestions on government initiatives, welfare schemes, and policy announcements to help shape a responsive and inclusive budget.

The Chief Minister also spoke about Odisha’s accelerating development under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the state has witnessed significant growth in industrialisation, employment generation, and overall economic expansion. Pro-people initiatives of the Union Government, combined with the State Government’s focused efforts for women and farmers, have energised the rural economy. He added that the Union Budget 2026-27 has also announced several measures beneficial to Odisha, reinforcing the state’s growing national prominence.

Majhi informed that a large number of thoughtful suggestions for the 2026-27 budget are being received through multiple platforms, including a dedicated web portal, email, SMS, and WhatsApp. “In a people’s government, people’s opinions will be given due importance, and schemes will be designed in line with their needs and expectations,” he said.

He directed concerned departments to systematically record and examine all suggestions received during the consultation meeting for appropriate consideration in the budget formulation process.

The meeting witnessed participation from over 50 eminent personalities, including former Finance Ministers Prafulla Ghadai and Niranjan Pujari, former Finance Secretaries Ardhendu Sadhangi, A.K. Tripathy and R.N. Senapati, representatives of the Odisha Traders’ Association, Odisha Young Entrepreneurs’ Association, NGOs, fintech CEOs, social activists, CREDAI Vice President, senior politicians Sarada Satapathy, Sajjan Sharma, and Manoj Mahapatra, among others.

Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Development Commissioner D.K. Singh, Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Saswat Mishra, Finance Secretary Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra, and senior officials of the Finance Department were also present at the consultation.