No fresh taxes, big push to rural devp in HP budget

At ₹44,387cr, this year’s estimate is 7% more than last fiscal Journos to get laptops, wages of anganwadi workers hiked

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur focused more on the rural population, which constitutes 80% of the state, while presenting a ₹44,388crore ‘populist’ budget for the financial year 2019-20 in the state assembly on Saturday. No new tax has been proposed in the budget which saw an increase of ₹2,948 crore (7%) from ₹41,440 crore in 2018-19.

The fiscal deficit is estimated at ₹ 7,352 crore for 2019-20, which is 4.3% of GSDP. The net borrowing will be ₹5,069 crore.

Presenting his second budget, the chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio, announced 15 new schemes for various sections.

In his three-hour address in the house while tabling the 168page proposed budget, Thakur said an annual plan of ₹7,100 crore is focused on increasing farm productivity, developing rural infrastructure, developing new sources of irrigation, flood control and social services.

SHIMLA: Eyeing electoral gains in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Himachal Pradesh chief minister Jai Ram Thakur, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented a ₹44,387-crore populist budget with prime focus on farmers, youth, employees, women and social sector.

In his second budget, Jai Ram Thakur introduced 15 new schemes. The budget estimate was 7% higher than that of the last fiscal.

HT PHOTO Chief minister Jai Ram Thakur ■ arriving at the HP assembly to present the budget.

■ DEEPAK SANSTA/HT Himachal chief minister Jai Ram Thakur along with finance department officials arriving to present the budget at the Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha in Shimla on Saturday.