No new taxes in Himachal budget

SHIMLA: No new tax has been proposed in the `32,593.30-crore budget for 2016-17 presented by chief

minister Virbhadra Singh in the assembly on Tuesday.

The budget included plethora of announcements for various sections including farmers, employees, industries, daily wagers, old age people and enhanced budgetary allocation for key sectors.

Virbhadra, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the budget for record 19th time and fourth time in a row and also made the longest ever budget speech lasting three hours and 25 minutes.

The CM introduced a new scheme ‘ Mukhya Mantri Khet Sanrakshan Yojana’ under which farmers would be provided 60% subsidy for low-voltage electric fencing for their farm lands. Fencing, which will enable the farmer to keep the wild animals and the marauding monkeys away from the fields, would be energised by solar power, he said.

In his around 3-and-a-halfhour speech, Virbhadra proposed a budget provision of `25 crore to start the scheme. “The budget allocation would be enhanced seeing the response from the farmers, he added. He proposed an outlay of `80 crore for promotion of the off-season vegetables.

Besides `5 crore were allocated for continuing ‘Uttam Chaara Yojana’ aimed at increasing fodder production in the state . The CM called upon the farmers to make Himachal an organic state, adding that the government will issue certification for the organic produce. Outlay for the poly house scheme was increased from `11 crore of the last year to `15 crore.