The Odisha government will prepare the annual budget for the coming fiscal in consultation with the general public, Finance Minister Pradip Kumar Amat said on Friday.

“We have decided that the finance department will seek public opinion before preparing the state budget this year through the Internet and mobile phones,” Amat told reporters here.

Amat said the government’s main aim would be an increase in revenue in 2016 for various development projects in the state.

The government would focus on more result-oriented expenditure, infrastructure development and to address social issues, he added.

A finance department official said the general public could raise different problems faced by them, which the government would try to address by allocating funds in the budget.

Finance Department has been holding Pre-Budget consultation with a cross section of the society. There is a need to take a step ahead and make the budgetary process open and participative using ICT through e-mail and SMS.

Finance Department have developed a separate web- page budget.odisha.gov.in to host the budget documents and suggestions are invited in a structured format (displayed in the web page) for preparation of Annual Budget 2016-17. Suggestions can be sent bye-mail to the address [email protected].

Similarly, suggestions for Budget are also invited through SMS to the Mobile number (+91)9438161111. This facility will be available for a fortnight beginning from 1st January, 2016.

Members of the public, Civil Society Organisation, Advocacy Groups are requested to make use of this unique opportunity to participate in the budget making process of the State Government.

Odisha Government is one of the most advanced states in the country for implementation of such system.