A recent report has raised serious concerns over the quality of budget planning by the Odisha government, pointing to a significant gap between projected allocations and actual spending.
According to findings by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India, the state’s budget estimates have not been realistic, leading to consistent underutilization of allocated funds. While the government has been increasing its annual budget size, it has struggled to spend the funds effectively within the financial year.
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For the 2024–25 financial year, the state initially proposed a budget of ₹2,75,613.86 crore. This was later increased with a supplementary allocation of ₹12,155.74 crore, taking the total budget to ₹2,87,769.60 crore. However, actual expenditure stood at ₹2,31,613.37 crore, leaving a substantial ₹56,156.23 crore unspent—about 19.5% of the total budget.
The report highlights that such a large gap reflects weaknesses in financial planning, execution, and monitoring. It also noted that departments failed to surrender unspent funds amounting to ₹2,815.91 crore, further indicating lapses in fiscal discipline.
The audit body emphasized that unrealistic projections and poor expenditure management are key reasons behind this trend. Experts suggest that better planning, timely implementation, and stronger oversight mechanisms are essential to ensure that public funds are utilized efficiently and effectively.
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