New Delhi, February 10 BJD member Sulata Deo criticised the Centre on Tuesday for ignoring Odisha in the Union Budget 2026-27 and questioned the allocation of ₹60 crore for Bangladesh.
During discussions on the Union Budget 2026-27, Deo said that the Budget contains nothing for Odisha, instead, the state's debt has increased to ₹90,000 crore in just 18 months.
She said that the Odisha government had demanded ₹12 lakh crore, but it was not approved.
"You have given ₹60 crore to Bangladesh in the Budget. Why? In Bangladesh, Hindus are being killed, and you are giving them money. Why have you given ₹60 crore? Why this sympathy? They don't sympathise with us... (It is) our tax money. There is nothing more shameful than this," Deo said.
She said that the government should bring back Indians from Bangladesh and return their citizens, "but don't give money".
"This is our tax money. There is nothing for Odisha," Deo said.
BJD member Subhasish Khuntia said that the railway minister announced ₹10,000 crore for Odisha.
"I would like to share some facts. Odisha has three railway zones: East Coast Railway, South Eastern Railway, and South East Central Railway. The operating ratio of the East Coast Railway is 47 per cent," Khuntia said.
He said that to earn ₹100, the Indian railway spends ₹47 in Odisha, while at the national level, an average of ₹107 is spent to earn ₹100.
"Odisha gives ₹30,000 crore in revenue to the railways every year and ensures a profit of about ₹15,000 crore. Therefore, it is not a favour on Odisha. It is the right of Odisha. The question is, loss-making states are being allocated 20-30 times more. Why is the allocation so low for Odisha, which is a profit-making state?"
IUML member Abdul Wahab said that the Budget has been a great disappointment, especially for people in Kerala.
BJP member Sumitra Balmik supported the Budget and said it also provides for girls' hostels in districts of Odisha.
Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal raised the issue of Delhi schools under the previous state government.
"In 2020, the Delhi government built a government school worth crores. It has four floors. Big buildings, big advertising, big claims of an education revolution. But the materials were so substandard that the roof started falling on the children. In 2024, this new school was declared dangerous and shut down," Maliwal said.
She said that the future of 5,000 children is at risk.
NCP-SCP member Fauzia Khan raised the issue of lower allocation for children's development in the Budget.
"The WCD (Women and child development) budget for 2026-27 is projected at ₹28,000 crore. Yet, child-focused expenditure as a share of the Union Budget has fallen by 1 per cent from 2017-18. While total spending on children remains below 1 per cent of GDP, far short of the 5 per cent recommendation by the National Plan of Action for children," Khan said.
She said that despite the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, 40 per cent of rural children aged three to six remain outside pre-schools or Anganwadis.