Development of Bengal sole objective of Budget: Mitra

Kolkata: Asserting that the state Budget has been presented with the sole objective of 'development' of Bengal, state Finance and Industries minister Amit Mitra said on Tuesday that the government has increased allocation for development schemes by 13.25 percent, in comparison to the 2018-19 fiscal.

"We have allotted Rs 89,320 crore during the 2019-20 fiscal for development schemes. In the 2018-19 financial year, the allocation was Rs 80,166 crore," Mitra said during the discussion on the state Budget at the state Assembly on Tuesday.

The Finance minister also presented the supplementary budget for a number of important sectors and maintained that the capital outlay of roads and bridges will be Rs 1,090 crore. "Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been stressing on physical infrastructure like construction of roads and bridges," he said.

It may be mentioned that Mitra, while addressing reporters after his Budget speech had said that allocation for physical infrastructure has gone up to Rs 8,806 crore in 2019-20, from Rs 7,760 crore in 2018-19, which is a hike of 13.48 percent.

"Social sector allocation during the 2018-19 fiscal was Rs 38,000 crore, which has been increased to Rs 41,131 crore for the 2019-20 fiscal," Mitra said.

He pointed out that the debt-to-GDP ratio that stood at 40.65 percent during 2010-11, has been brought down to 31.90 percent during 2018-19.

Elaborating on the supplementary budget, he stated that the allocation for SC/ST welfare has been Rs 369 crore, for Gitanjali Rs 1,029 crore and for urban transport Rs 590 crore.

He further stated that allocation for pension schemes has been Rs 875 crore and Rupashree scheme has been Rs 605 crore.

"When the Mamata Banerjee government came to power, the fiscal deficit in the state was at 4.24 percent. The figure has gone down to 2.83 percent in 2019-20. The revenue deficit has also dropped to 0.96 percent from 3.75 percent in 2010-11," the minister added.