All-Party Meet Held Ahead of Odisha Assembly Budget Session

Bhubaneswar: An all-party meeting was convened on Sunday, a day ahead of the commencement of the Budget Session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly, to ensure the smooth conduct of proceedings.

The meeting was chaired by Speaker Surama Padhy and focused on fostering coordination among political parties while addressing key legislative matters likely to arise during the session.

Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Leader of Opposition Prasanna Acharya, Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik, and Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam were among those who attended the meeting.

Speaking after the meeting, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Mukesh Mahaling said discussions were held to ensure peaceful and orderly functioning of the House during the session.

The Budget Session will begin on February 17 with the Governor’s address. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, who also holds the Finance portfolio, is scheduled to present the State Budget for the 2026–27 fiscal year on February 20.

Opposition parties, including the BJD and Congress, are expected to raise several issues during the session, such as paddy procurement, the Mahanadi water dispute, and pollution control measures. The ruling BJP has also prepared its strategy to respond to the opposition’s concerns.

Meanwhile, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place around the Assembly premises. Multi-layered security deployment includes dog squads, bomb disposal squads, a snake helpline team, and fire services personnel.

Around 20 platoons of police force will be stationed in and around the Assembly, with the entire area under CCTV surveillance. Five temporary police camps have been set up nearby, along with a temporary police control room to monitor the session proceedings.