C’garh govt presents ₹1.21L-crore budget

In the last budget before the state goes to assembly polls later in the year, Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday announced a ₹2,500 unemployment allowance for youngsters, and a hike in allowances to anganwadi (day care) workers, home guards and other government employees.

The budget for 2023-2024 was pegged at ₹1,21,500 crore, higher than ₹1,04,000 crore for the year 2022-2023, with no new taxes, said Baghel, who holds the finance portfolio.

The aim of the budget was “Gadhbo Nava Chhattisgarh (build a new Chhattisgarh),” the chief minister said. “It focuses on prosperity, growth and welfare of the state with agriculture and the rural economy in mind.”

The estimated revenue expenditure was pegged at ₹1,02,000 crore, with an estimated capital expenditure of ₹18,660 crore, official data showed. The gross fiscal deficit of the state is estimated at ₹15,200 crore, which is 2.99% of the gross state domestic product. The new unemployment allowance would apply to those between the ages of 18 and 35 who have cleared class 12, registered at the state employment and registration centre, and have an annual family income of less than ₹2.5 lakh.

The monthly honorarium for anganwadi workers and assistants will be increased from ₹6,500 to ₹10,000 and from ₹3,250 to ₹5,000, respectively, he said. The government also announced a provision of ₹200 crore to set up four new medical colleges. “The way in which the state government publicised the budget, saying this is the ‘budget of trust’ before even presenting it makes it clear that the government has accepted that they have lost the people’s trust,” state BJP president Arun Sao said.