Kisan, roti, kapda budget’s focus areas

Neena Sharma

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, March 22

The BJP government on Thursday presented a tax-free budget of Rs 45,585 crore for 2018-2019 in the Assembly, which laid emphasis on kisan, roti and kapda.

Presenting the second paperless budget, Uttarakhand Finance Minister Prakash Pant said, “The budget estimates for 2018-19 are pegged at Rs 45,585.09 crore which is 14.08 per cent more than the revised budget estimates of Rs 37,992.87 crore for the previous financial year,” Pant said.

With revenue receipts estimated at Rs 35,660 crore, the state’s revenue expenditure is pegged at Rs 35,627.31 crore. For 2018-2019, there is no revenue deficit. 

The fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs 6,710.34 crore which is 2.75 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and well within the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM) i.e. 3 per cent of the GSDP.

He said taking cue from the last budget that focused on five key areas viz food, clothing, shelter, education and health, the allocations had been made to strengthen the previous ongoing schemes. Several new schemes had also been introduced. 

“The budget intends to ensure there is ease of doing and ease of living while we bring transparency in governance and provide improved facilities to the people for improving their living standards,” said Pant.

Further, the government had made a provision of Rs 3 crore for providing uniform to schoolchildren, Rs 86 crore for the metro rail, Rs 3.70 crore for setting creches under the National Creche scheme, Rs 5 crore for cleaning of Naini Lake and Rs 10 crore under the regional connectivity helicopter service.

While in the last budget, the government had announced a research institute (parliamentary affairs) at Bhararisain, no amount had been fixed for the construction of the institute, he said.

The Rawat government has allocated Rs 966.68 crore for the agriculture sector under which an allocation of Rs 63.55 crore will be for the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and Rs 83 crore for traditional farming.

 The government has also pledged to bring in more areas under organic farming and also increase the production of seeds in around 700 hectare area. 

A provision a Rs 311.23 crore has been made for the horticulture sector. 

Another Rs 303.43 crore has been allocated for the Department of animal husbandry.

The government has allocated Rs 6,741 crore for school education and Rs 513 crore for higher education.

A sum of Rs 2,286.7 crore has been allocated for health, (allopathy, ayush and homoeopathy) and Rs 808.55 crore for the Department of Forests and Environment.

A sum of Rs 2,286.57 crore has been allocated for the Department of Social Welfare, Woman and Child Development.

Fund for Metro, copter service...

The government has made a provision of Rs 3 crore for providing uniform to schoolchildren, Rs 86 crore for the Metro train, Rs 3.70 crore for setting creches under the National Creche scheme, Rs 5 crore for cleaning of Naini Lake and Rs 10 crore under the regional connectivity helicopter service.