Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Government had spent ₹15.8 Crore on the Exposure Visit of officials to Dubai when the Biju Janata Dal was in power in the State. This was divulged in a written reply of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi in the Odisha Legislative Assembly today.

Replying to a query of BJP Legislator from Balasore, Manas Kumar Dutta, the Chief Minister informed the Tourism Department data show official representatives from different departments including Mission Shakti had gone on the Exposure Visit to Dubai.

The Chief Minister further said the State Government had spent ₹536.44 Crore on Nua-O Scholarship in financial year 2023-24. The scholarship was disbursed among 5.38 Lakh Graduate and Post Graduate students.

As per the data provided by the Higher Education Department, out of the total money spent on the Nua-O Scholarship, ₹222.8 Crore were sanctioned under the ‘Mukhyamantri Medhabi Chhatra Protshana Yojana’. Rest ₹313.64 Crore was spent under the Special Incentive Programme of the Planning and Coordination Department, the Chief Minister’s reply mentioned.

Majhi added the Sports and Youth Affairs Department data showed ₹261.63 Crore was spent on Nua-O Programme. The money was sanctioned under the Integrated Youth Development Programme in 2023-24.

Odisha's Loan Burden

Further replying to the query of the Balasore MLA, the Chief Minister said the Comptroller and Auditor General, Odisha data shows the State Government’s total loan stood at ₹96,310.4 Crore in 2023-24 financial year. The Per Capita Loan stood at ₹20,736 which is far less than other States and the National average.

The Balasore MLA asked in the State Assembly how much loan burden the Odisha Government has and how much amount has been spent on the Nua-O Programme and Exposure Visit to Dubai.