Govt creates fund for boosting govt assets

CHANDIGARH : The Haryana government has created a dedicated ‘Asset Augmentation Fund’ for strengthening public assets.

This was announced by finance minister Capt Abhmanyu while presenting the state budget in the assembly on Monday. “The quality of immovable physical assets created by the state government in terms of buildings, vacant lands, infrastructure, etc had deteriorated over the years for want of proper upkeep and maintenance. Such physical assets need to be not only properly maintained, but also strengthened at regular intervals so that their full potential is harnessed,” he said

An ‘Asset Management Cell’ is also being created in the revenue department to carry out asset mapping of the state resources and to prepare a register of all public assets.

NEW SCHEMES FOR RURAL, URBAN AREAS

Capt Abhimanyu announced a new scheme ‘Deenbandhu Haryana Gram Uday Yojana’, named after Jat leader Choudhry Chhotu Ram, to develop about 1,500 villages having a population between 3,000 and 10,000 by providing necessary physical, social and economic infrastructure facilities on par with urban areas. Costing ₹5,000 crore, the scheme, to be implemented in a phased manner in three years, will be funded through NABARD assistance. An outlay of ₹1,200 crore has been earmarked for the scheme in the coming financial year.

Similarly, in order to create modern infrastructure and for maintenance of the existing infrastructure in urban areas, he proposed to launch ‘Mangal Nagar Vikas Yojana’ in the name of late BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Dr Mangal Sain.

He has earmarked an outlay of ₹1,000 crore for the scheme.

The finance minister announced 5% rebate on bill payments to utilities and other government payments through BHIM app, subject to a maximum of ₹50. Also, all government payments of more than ₹5,000 should be made through digital mode only, he said.

THE QUALITY OF IMMOVABLE ASSETS CREATED BY GOVT SUCH AS BUILDINGS, LAND, INFRASTRUCTURE HAS DETERIORATED OVER THE YEARS, SAYS FM