Baghel presents Rs 95,650-crore budget for Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Mar 3 () Chhattisgarh Chief MinisterBhupesh Baghel on Tuesday presented a Rs 95,650-crore budget,without any new tax proposals, for fiscal 2020-21 in theLegislative Assembly here.

Among other things, he announced a new scheme, 'RajivGandhi Kisaan Nyay Yojana', to provide good returns to farmersfor agricultural produce with a provision of Rs 5,100 crore.

"With the spirit of 'Gadhbo Nava Chhattisgarh(building a new Chhattisgarh), the budget is primarily focusedon nutrition, betterment and extension of health services andproductive use of the youth's energy to develop them as apowerful resource," said Baghel, who holds finance portfolio.

The budget also embodies the objective 'Sarve BhavantuSukhinah, Sarve Santu Niramayah' (Let everyone be happy andhealthy), he said.

"The Central Government had given special exemption topurchase paddy at support price along with bonus distributionto the previous government. But this year the state could notget this exemption from the Centre," Baghel said.

"Therefore, to ensure appropriate benefit to the'Annadata' (provider of food), the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan NyayYojana will be launched," he said. The benefit of the schemewill also be extended retrospectively for 2019-20, he added.

Under the 'Krishak Jeevan Jyoti Yojana', a provisionof Rs 2,300 crore has been made for free power supply toagri-pumps upto five Horse Power capacity, he said.

As many as 1176 biogas plants would be set up underthe Gobar Dhan Yojana for which a provision of Rs 450 crorehas been made, he said.

'Gurukul Vidyalaya' (residential school) will be setup in Giraudhpuri, the birthplace of spiritual leader BabaGuru Ghasidas, the chief minister announced.

Laboratories for the Internet of Things and roboticswill be set up at three engineering colleges and fivepolytechnics in the state.

Tuition fees of students from Chhattisgarh who make itto IITs, IIMs and All India Institutes of Medical Sciences(AIIMS) will be borne by the state government, and ongraduation they will be directly recruited in government andsemi-government institutions, Baghel said.

To check cyber crime, cyber police stations will beestablished under the limits of every Inspector General ofPolice range. A Jail Reform Commission will be set up forimproving the state's prison, the CM added.

An arbitration centre was proposed to be set up at theHigh Court at Bilaspur and all civil district courts.

A provision of Rs 7.20 crore has been made forautomated Air Traffic Control (ATC) towers at Jagdalpur,Ambikapur and Bilaspur airports, while Rs 1 crore is earmarkedfor construction of air strip at Baikunthpur, Korea district.

'Shahid Smarak' (martyrs' memorial) will be built inNawa Raipur Atal Nagar in the memory of Congress leaders andsecurity personnel killed in the May 2013 Jhiram Valley naxalattack, Baghel announced.

Overall, the budget for 2020-21 earmarks 38 per centfunds for the social sector, 40 percent for the economicsector and 22 percent for the general service sector, he said.

Estimated gross expenditure for 2020-21 is Rs 1,02,907crore. The net expenditure, after deducting repayment of debtand recoveries, is estimated at Rs 95,650 crore.

Revenue expenditure is estimated at 81,400 crore andcapital expenditure at 13,814 crore, 14.44 percent of thetotal expenditure, the CM said.

Total revenue receipts for year 2020-21 are estimatedat Rs 83,831 crore.

The state is estimated to have surplus revenue of Rs2,431 crore, as in previous years. Fiscal deficit (whichfactors in debt repayment liability) is estimated to be Rs11,518 crore, which is 3.18 percent of the state's estimatedgross domestic product (GDP) for 2020-21, little above theprescribed limit of 3 percent, Baghel said.

Total receipts for 2020-21 are estimated Rs 96,091crore against estimated expenditure of Rs 95,650 crore.

Budget deficit is estimated to be 3,522 crore by theend of 2020-21, including estimated budget deficit of Rs 3,963crore for 2019-20, he said. TKPKRK KRK