State budget to target faster growth, raise social sector spending

The size of the state budget is likely to touch ₹3 lakh crore, up from ₹2.65 lakh crore in 2024-25, when Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi presents the annual budget in the Assembly on Monday.

- BIJAY CHAKI AND SUDARSAN MAHARANA @Bhubaneswar

With the latest Odisha Economic Survey projecting the state's economy to expand in the range of 8 per cent to 8.5 per cent in the 2025-26 fiscal, the state budget is expected to retain its focus on social sector spending while giving a push to services, industry and MSMEs that would generate more employment and income.

Implementation of flagship schemes such as Subhadra for financial empowerment of women and welfare programmes for farmers, poor and backward classes are likely to receive renewed attention in the Odisha Budget 2025-26.