HP BUDGET FOCUSES ON AGRI SECTOR
Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur on Friday tabled ₹41,440 crore revenue deficit budget for the year 2018-19 with a thrust on agriculture sector and developing new tourist destinations in the state and announced 28 new schemes for the welfare of students, women and the unemployed. Thakur, in his maiden budget, announced to levy ₹1 cess on the sale of every bottle of liquor to generate revenue for the maintenance of gaushalas (cow shelters) in the state. Of a total of ₹41,440 crore budget this time, an estimated Rs 11,263 crore (27%) will be spent on salaries and ₹5,893 crore (14.22%) on pensions. The budget has only 39% fund allocation for development works.
■ Budget provision of ₹220 crore under state food subsidy scheme
■ ₹100 crore to be spent of World Bank funded Horticulture Development Scheme in next fiscal
■ ₹500 crore to be spent for Command Area Development in five years
■ ₹277 crore for minor and ₹85 cr for medium irrigation schemes
■ Electricity cost for irrigation reduced to ₹75 paise/unit
■ Levy of Certain Goods Carried by Roads (CGCR) tax on apple, other fruits and vegetables withdrawn
■ Investment subsidy of 50% for bio-pesticide plants
■ ₹32 crore for subsidy to farmers/horticulturists on power weeders and power tillers
■ ₹10 crore budget provision for anti-hail nets
■ 85% subsidy for solar fencing
■ ₹1,000 crore phase-II project under JICA to cover all the districts for crop diversification
■ Enhancement of milk procurement price by ₹1/litre
■ Number of days for providing employment under MGNREGA increased from 100 to 120 in view of drought like condition in current year
■ ₹45 crore for members of Zila Parishads and Panchayat Samities for development activities in ₹150 crore for PRIs’
■ Electricity duty reduced from 4 to 2% on small industries and 10 to 7% on medium industries. No electricity duty on new small and medium units
■ Lease of land for industrial plots to be given for 90 years instead of 30. No electricity duty on new small, medium industries for first five years.
■ ₹475 crore for subsidising electricity to the domestic and Agriculture consumers.
■ Pong, Kol and Bhakra reservoirs to be developed for water sports and adventure tourism.
■ ₹100 crore for Skill Development Allowance.
■ ₹300 cr grant & equity to HRTC.
■ School bags to be provided to the students of 1st, 3rd, 6th and 9th class under ‘Atal Vardi Yojna’.
■ Atal Tinkering Labs will be set up in selected schools.
■ Grant-in-aid of ₹110 crore to Himachal Pradesh University.
■ Rare Manuscripts and books to be digitised
■ Assistance to BPL families under “Beti Hai Anmol Yojna” enhanced to ₹12,000.
■ Critical care package under “Swasthya Bima Yojna” enhanced from ₹1,75,000 to ₹2,50,000 for families having one or two girl child.
■ ₹600 crore for Social Security Pension Schemes.
■ Daily wages increased to ₹225 per day.