Shimla: Presenting his second budget for year 2019-20, ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Himachal Pradesh government Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday primarily focussed on the farm sector and rural sector to propose a slew of benefits for the farmers, beside socially vulnerable sections.
The Rs 44,388 crore populist budget presented in the state Vidhan Sabha on Saturday, despite a holiday on Saturday, has 15 new schemes, which also has priority on rural areas, tourism and infrastructure.
Apart from announcing implementation of the 10 percent quota for Economically Weaker Sections of the general category in employment and educational institutions, the budget has a new provision of Rs 11,000 per annum as Varshik Loktantra Prahari Samman to those who had been arrested under MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act).
"The provisions under MISA were used between 1975 and 1977 by the then Congress government to arrest political prisoners who revolted against the emergency," he recalled in his 85-page speech, that took more than three hours.
Chief Minister said that this is a budget of new hopes, compassion and innovations. All sections of the society and rural population, who forms 90 per cent of the state's population, will be benefitted from the schemes on agriculture, horticulture, allied sectors, irrigation, infrastructure and tourism. All 28 schemes already announced in 2018-19 budget will continue and they have already been implemented .Today I added another 15 schemes.
He admitted that of total budget, proposed only 39.56 percent will be spent on development after meeting committed liabilities like salaries (27.84 pc) and pensions (15 pc). However the government has been able to get Rs 10,300 cr under externally aided projects .
The fiscal deficit of the state was estimated to be Rs 7,352 crore during the next year which will be 4.3 per cent of GSDP. The net borrowing,proposed to make the funds available, was Rs 5,069 crore. CM announced cut on power tariff from 75 paise per unit to 50 paise for irrigation by the farmers and 50 per cent subsidy for barbed wire and solar power fitted chain link for protection of the crops against monkey menace in the state. Farmers will get 50 percent subsidy upto Rs 25,000 to buy desi cows. A new breeding farm for Sahiwal and Red Sindhi cows will be set up with a total cost of Rs 11.21 crore.
The social security pension is proposed to be increased from Rs 750 to Rs 850 and from Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,500. More than 5 lakh persons will be benefited,he announced .
One additional LPG refill cylinder will be provided free of cost to the beneficiaries of Himachal Grihani Suvidha Yojna and Ujjwala Yojna. Two lakh families will benefit as a result in the next year.