Just over 2% spent, govt asks science & tech dept agencies to use 60% fund by Dec

Bhubaneswar: After finding that only 2.63% of the total programme budget for 2026-27 had been spent so far, Odisha govt has asked agencies under science and technology department to speed up fund utilisation and achieve at least 60% expenditure of their annual allocations by Dec.At a review meeting on the annual detailed action plan held on July 4, the department found that only Rs 8.93 crore, or 2.63%, of the total programme budget of Rs 340.12 crore for 2026-27 had been released or spent so far.The biotechnology wing, which has the highest allocation of Rs 185.6 crore, has not received any funds yet. Officials said in the meeting that only Rs 62.84 crore is proposed to be released by Dec, translating into 33.86% utilisation, well below the prescribed target.The department noted that proposals for new schemes, including biotechnology policy incentives and a life sciences/biotechnology park, are yet to be appraised.Similarly, Odisha Space Applications Centre (ORSAC), allocated Rs 76.77 crore, is yet to receive funds as appraisal of new projects such as expansion of Bhubaneswar Land Use Intelligence System, ILIP and mangrove monitoring remains pending. The department directed ORSAC to submit the proposals urgently.

Among the agencies reviewed, Odisha Bigyan Academy emerged as the best performer. Against a budget provision of Rs 138.8 lakh, it has already received Rs 41.64 lakh and plans to utilise 84.98% of its annual allocation by Dec.State Council on Science and Technology proposed spending Rs 28.78 crore by the third quarter -- 43.58% of its allocation, while Institute of Mathematics and Applications (IMA) projected utilisation of just over 60% by Dec, marginally meeting the target.

An amount of Rs 7.19 crore has been provisioned in the Budget Estimate for 2026-27 for the IMA. However, no funds have been released to the institute so far in the current financial year.The department also reviewed the progress of renovation and upgradation works, and the proposed light-and-sound programme at Pathani Samanta Planetarium, for which funds are expected to be released after approval of pending proposals, official sources said.