Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday said the State budget will prioritise industry, tourism and filling up vacant government posts. In a pre-budget consultation meeting attended by former finance ministers, financial experts and association representatives, Majhi emphasised creating a “people’s budget” with focus on strengthening the rural economy.

He invited public suggestions via email, WhatsApp and social media by January 31. Majhi said key sectors under focus include steel, IT, renewable energy, textile, petrochemicals, agro-industries and port-based industries.

“The industry sector, especially agro-industry, is critical to improving the socio-economic condition of rural Odisha,” he said. The State Cabinet recently approved the ‘Viksit Gaon, Viksit Odisha’ scheme, aimed at creating sustainable income sources in villages to reduce migration to urban areas.

In its 2024 election manifesto, the BJP had promised to fill 1.5 lakh vacant government posts, including 65,000 in two years and create employment for 3.5 lakh persons by 2029. “We have already recruited 20,000 people in government posts so far while more than 40,000 posts will be filled in the next financial year,” the Chief Minister said.

The Odisha government has already approved investment proposals worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore, which are expected to create employment for 1.10 lakh people, he added.

In July last year, the Majhi government presented a Rs 2.65 lakh crore budget for 2024-25 fiscal with focus on agriculture and irrigation. Majhi, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented the BJP government’s maiden budget on July 25 last year and proposed an outlay of Rs 33,919 crore for agriculture, which was about 36 per cent more than the allocation made in the previous year.

To ensure the speedy empowerment of women, as promised by the BJP in its election manifesto, Majhi in the last budget proposed an outlay of Rs 10,000 crore for ‘Subhadra’ scheme, a financial assistance programme for women.

The Chief Minister had allocated Rs 5,000 crore for “Samrudha Krushak Yojana” for farmers.

He had also proposed a new scheme ‘CM Kisan’ for farmers with an outlay of Rs 1,935 crore in the last budget.