Odisha Chief Secretary directs full utilisation of budget allocation

BHUBANESWAR: With a marginal increase in revenue generation by end of February 2023 against the same period last year, all departments were asked to devise a strategy for full utilisation of the budgetary allocation by the end of the current fiscal.

Taking his first review of financial performance as chief secretary, Pradeep Jena emphasised on strengthening of digitalisation of all government payment and receipt systems. Chairing a meeting of all secretaries at Lok Seba Bhawan, Jena said submission of utilisation certificates in time bound manner should be given priority.

Giving financial updates of the state, principal secretary of finance Vishal Dev said the total revenue generation from both own tax and non-tax sources by end of February 2023 has increased by 0.61 per cent over the corresponding period of last fiscal.

In real terms, he said, the total revenue has touched Rs 1,29,037 crore by end of  February in spite of negative growth in its own non-tax revenue and grants from the central government by about 9.5 per cent.

Dev said the revenue generation from own tax sources increased by 15.31 per cent with a total collection of around Rs 40,876 crore by the end of February 2023 against the corresponding period of last year’s collection of Rs 35,449 crore.

Similarly, the revenue generation from non-tax sources grew negatively by around 0.69 per cent in comparison to the corresponding period of the last year with a total collection of around Rs 78,916 crore.

Budget utilisation by end of February grew around 1.3 per cent over the last fiscal. The budget utilisation in agriculture and its allied sector and infrastructure sector spending has improved.