Bhubaneswar

Odisha’s per capita debt burden stood at Rs 26,978 as of October 2025, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi informed the Assembly on Monday. The state’s total outstanding public debt is Rs 1,26,799 crore.

Majhi said Odisha’s per capita loan burden remains lower than many other states. Public debt rose from Rs 92,775 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 1,20,710 crore in 2024-25. The state reduced its debt by Rs 9,040 crore in 2022-23, but it increased again in the subsequent years.

In the current fiscal, Odisha has borrowed Rs 14,725 crore, including Rs 7,000 crore from the open market and Rs 2,301 crore from the Centre.

The CM said Odisha’s debt-to-GSDP ratio (12.72%) and interest payment-to-revenue receipt ratio (2.87%) for 2024-25 remain well below the 15th Finance Commission and FRBM Act limits.

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Opposition BJD and Congress members criticised the government for “poor” budget utilisation, noting only 39% of the budget had been spent by October. Defending the government, Minister Prithviraj Harichandan cited the extended monsoon for slowing infrastructure spending but said overall expenditure till October—Rs 1,14,518 crore—was higher than the same period last year.