70k recruitments, free edu, pension: Raj presents vote on account ahead of LS polls
THE THRUST OF THE BUDGET WAS ON FARMERS, YOUTH, WOMEN AND POOR IN LINE WITH THE PRIORITY GROUPS IDENTIFIED BY PM NARENDRA MODI
Rajasthan finance minister Diya Kumari on Thursday presented a vote on account budget in the state assembly which proposes free education from KG to PG for children of low income groups, 70,000 recruitments in 2024- 25 fiscal, pension for street vendors. and ₹1000 crore to upgrade and establish school, college and hospitals.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the thrust of the budget was on farmers, youth, women and poor in line with the priority groups identified by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In her maiden budget speech that was marked by some disturbance by the opposition benches, Diya Kumari said the government will provide free education from KG to PG to students belonging to the families of low income group, small and marginal farmers and farm labourers.
She announced Lado Protsahan Yojana under which a Saving Bond of ₹1,00,000 will be given to poor families on birth of a girl child.
The government announced pension of ₹2000 per month for labourers and street vendors on attaining the age of sixty years. A provision of ₹350 crore has been made for this. The beneficiaries will have to pay a monthly premium to be eligible for the pension.
Diya Kumari said the BJP government has increased the scope of the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project (ERCP) which will now cover 21 districts instead of 13 districts. She said the budgetary provision was raised from ₹37,250 crore to ₹45,000 crore.
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, drinking water will be provided to 2.5 million rural families at an approximate expenditure of ₹15,000 crore.
She also announced that the Metro service will be extended from Sitapura to Vidhyadhar Nagar.
Even as the opposition members created uproar, Diya Kumari targeted the previous Congress government, saying its faulty policies led to a huge debt burden of ₹5.79 lakh crore
She said the per capita debt has increased from ₹36,800 (at the end of 2017-18) to ₹70,800 (in 2023-24).
The finance minister announced the Rajasthan Agriculture Infra Mission with a budgetary provision of ₹2,000 crore. Under this, 20,000 farm ponds, 10,000 km irrigation pipe line, fencing for 50,000 farmlands and vermicomposting units, food park and agro-processing clusters will be set up.
The government has fixed a target of installing solar panels in over 500,000 houses which will result in free electricity of up to 300 units per month.
Under the Lakhpati Didi Yojana,500,000 women will be given skills so they can earn ₹1 lakh per annum.
The assistance to pregnant women under the Pradhanmantri Matra Vandan Yojana has been increased from ₹5,000 to ₹6,500 with an expenditure of ₹90 crore
A provision of ₹20 crore has been made to set up an Adarsh angabari in each block. LPG gas cylinder is being given to 7.3 million women at ₹450
The quantity of meal in the Annapurna Rasoi scheme has been increased from 450 gm to 600 gm with a budgetary provision of ₹350 crore.
The financial assistance under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana has been increased from ₹ 6000 to₹ 8000 with a provision of₹1,400 crore in the budget.
The government will give a bonus of ₹125 per quintal over the Minimum Support Price for wheat with an expenditure of ₹250 crore, said Diya Kumari.
The social security pension has been increased from ₹1,000 to ₹1,150 with a provision of ₹1,800 crore. The government also announced relaunching of pension for MISA/DIR detainees. They will get a pension of ₹20,000 and medical assistance of ₹4,000.
Diya Kumari said to encourage production of millets, government will give 1.2 million high quality seeds of makka, 500,000 seeds of bajra, moong, sarson, and 100,000 seeds of jowar and moth to farmers
On lines of Kissan Credit Card, the Gopal Credit card was announced under which five thousand farmers will be given short term loans. A budgetary provision of ₹150 crore has been made.
An annual exam calendar will be announced, employment fairs are planned in districts and campus placements and skill development training will be provided.
Around 70 lakh students from classes 1 to 8 and to girl students from classes 9 to 12 will get ₹1000 per year as support for their stationary, uniform expenses.
On lines of GIFT City in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, Cyberabad in Andhra Pradesh, the state government plans to open a hi tech city on the outskirts of Jaipur with all modern amenities.
Announcing a Mission Olympics 2028, Diya Kumari announced a Jaipur Centre of Excellence for Sports where fifty talented children will be given training in various sports disciplines to prepare for the Olympics.
Diya Kumari said the Congress government had ignored some regions due to political vendetta. She announced a provision of₹1,000 crore for establishment and upgradation of colleges, schools, hospitals, administrative offices in these deprived areas.
To boost religious tourism, the government will undertake development works for 20 religious places including Govind Devji, Jaipur, Mangarh etc.