Dhami-led govt tables ₹65,571 crore budget
₹2 crore allocated for the ‘Foreign Employment Cell’ formed to help youth getting jobs abroad
DEHRADUN: Finance minister Premchand Aggarwal on Tuesday presented the state budget for the financial year 2022-23 with an estimated expenditure of ₹65,571 crore and estimated revenue receipts of ₹63,774 crore. The budget is estimated to have a fiscal deficit of ₹8,503 crore.
In his 62-page budgetary speech that started around 4 pm and continued for over two hours, the minister gave details about the proposed provisions under various heads, work done by the state government in various domains and proposed allocations for various important schemes for the financial year 2022-23.
“Our economy, like elsewhere, was not untouched by the ill effects of the (Covid) pandemic. It was impossible to get out of the pandemic without the cooperation of the central government. Vaccines were provided to us in sufficient quantity and financial assistance was given. Due to the help of the Centre, our economy has also made an effective recovery. Today we have come out of this bad phase. On this occasion, I salute doctors, health workers, environmentalist friends as well as all the Covid warriors associated with police and administration and social organisations,” said Aggarwal.
The finance minister said with an objective of connecting youth of the state with the employment opportunities available abroad, a “Foreign Employment Cell” has been formed by the state government. He said for this scheme, a provision of ₹2 crore has been made.
Giving details about provisions made for some important schemes, the minister said a provision of ₹500 crore has been made for Nanda Gora Scheme, ₹310 for Atal Ayushman Scheme, ₹311 crore for PM Awas Yojana, ₹205 crore for smart city scheme, ₹1,500 crore for pension scheme for elderly, widows, physically challenged and economically weaker farmers, ₹105 crore for Deendayal Upadhyay Grameen Koshal Yojana and ₹25 crore for the Chief Minister Palayan Roktham Scheme.
Aggarwal said the “Mukhyamantri Swarojgar Yojana” was been implemented by the government to motivate the migrants to self-employment in the state.
“Under the scheme, in 2021-22, a total of 5,856 people has been given loan totalling ₹194.70 crore, due to which 20,496 people have got self-employment and jobs,” he said.
The minister said the state government was committed to promote green energy in the state.
“Till date, solar power plants of 335.66 MW combined capacity have been installed in the state. A total of 127 MW capacity solar power plants are under installation, thus total solar power plants of 462.66 MW capacity are targeted to be installed by the end of the financial year 2022-23. These plants will provide employment to 900 persons.
“With this initiative of the state government, green energy will be promoted in the state and employment opportunities will also be generated by making proper use of the unused land in the hilly areas,” he said.
Aggarwal said in 2022-23, the state government has set a target to construct new roads of 524 km in length, reconstruct 1,680 km long roads and construct 36 bridges.
“JCBs and other machines have been deployed on Char Dham Yatra routes at different places as per requirement to open the routes that get closed due to heavy rains,” he said.
Aggarwal said the state government was committed to supplying safe drinking water. “In the financial year 2022-23, a provision of ₹1,278.66 crore has been made for this project.”
After the budget speech ended, leader of the opposition Yashpal Arya and other Congress MLAs asked why the government didn’t organise the budget session in Gairsain, the summer capital of the state. Noisy scenes were witnessed for some time on this issue.
The budget session will continue till June 20.