Dikhyaa Mohanty 
The Sixth State Finance Commission on Wednesday presented its final report to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi at Lok Seva Bhawan here. A delegation led by Commission Chairman Arun Kumar Panda submitted the detailed report, which lays out recommendations to reinforce the financial architecture of local bodies in the state, with a strong focus on equity, addressing regional imbalances, and meeting the distinct requirements of both rural and urban areas. According to a release from the Chief Minister’s Office, the recommendations encompass financial as well as non-financial measures aimed at the overall development of local self-governance institutions, including Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) and Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
The commission had earlier submitted the report to Governor Hari Babu Kambhampati on January 21. On the same occasion, Chief Minister Majhi launched the ‘Samikshya’ portal (https://samikshya.odisha.gov.in), an online platform that offers real-time updates on the implementation of projects funded through Central and State Finance Commission grants. These projects cover sectors such as roads, drinking water supply, sanitation, street lighting, parks, and other public amenities.
Designed to enhance transparency and accountability in the utilisation of public funds, the portal will enable citizens, elected representatives and other stakeholders to track the progress and execution of these development works.
Chairing the meeting, the Chief Minister urged officials to prioritise improvement of the state’s economic indicators, restructure governance at the panchayat level, raise the overall quality of life, and upgrade infrastructure in every village and urban area. He emphasised the importance of laying a strong foundation for a prosperous Odisha.
Deputy Chief Minister KV Singh Deo, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary DK Singh, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Shashwat Mishra, Principal Secretary (Finance) Sanjeev Mishra, Secretary of Electronics and Information Technology Vishal Deb, and Secretary of Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Girish SN were among those present.
The Sixth State Finance Commission was constituted on January 22, 2025, with the mandate to assess the financial status of local bodies and recommend principles for the distribution of taxes, duties, tolls and fees between the state government and the three-tier PRIs and urban local bodies, along with measures to strengthen their fiscal sustainability.
