Finance Minister Pradeep Kumar Amat is likely to present the State Budget for 2016-17 in the Assembly on March 15.
It was so understood from a decision taken at an all-party meeting held under chairmanship of Speaker Niranjan Pujari here on Monday. Such an all-party meeting was held for the first time in the history of the State legislature.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra said that as per the decision, the Finance Minister would present an Appropriation Bill for two months, and the draft of the Budget for the remaining 10 months would be sent to the Assembly Standing Committee, which would give its suggestion by April 25.
“If needed, necessary changes as per suggestions of the committee will be made in the Budget before it is presented,” Mishra said.
The Bill would be passed before March 31, Mishra said, adding that this time the State Budget would presented on the lines of the Union Budget, which would be presented in Parliament on February 29.
“Since the Centre has authorised the States to prioritise their requirements in the State Budgets, the meeting decided that the State
Budget will be presented on the lines of the Centre. Certainly, it will help the State focus on the fields it wants to spend more,” he said.
Amat said the proposed format would help the State Government allocate funds on different heads strategically.
“The idea behind such an initiative is that we will first know from the Union Budget about the figures of expenditure on different heads. It is necessary before presentation of the State Budget,” Amat said, adding that there is no scope to know about Central allocations under the new NITI Aayog.
He said the State needs to plan out funds as grants for eight projects have been stopped by the Centre and the sharing pattern for 33 schemes has been changed drastically.
Welcoming the step, BJP State president Basant Panda said the Budget pattern would be helpful for the State.
“It is a very good initiative. The States, which want to focus on particular sectors in the budget, given their economy and geographical presence, will get the benefit,” Panda said.