Haryana Budget: No new tax, Khattar lays thrust on education, farm initiatives

Tribune News Service

Vijay C Roy

Chandigarh, March 8

Proposing no fresh taxes, Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar, who also holds the Finance portfolio, on Tuesday presented a Rs 1,77,256-crore Budget for 2022-23.

Editorial: Haryana Budget

Rs1.7 lakh cr

Growth rate up

State’s GSDP in 2021-22 is estimated to have grown to Rs5.88 lakh crore, showing a growth rate of 9.8% compared to -5.3% in 2020-21, says Economic Survey report

Women-centric steps

• Sushma Swaraj Award for women
• Scheme for support to budding women entrepreneurs
• Tablets for all government schoolkids of Classes X-XII
• Three new government colleges for women
• Setting up/supporting 10,000 self-help groups
• Census to count every tree and geo-tag it

Emphasis has been placed on education, women empowerment, health, agriculture and rural development. Besides, there is thrust on capital expenditure to provide impetus to the state’s economy.

Among major announcements are tablets for all students of Classes X-XII of government schools, safer transportation for girl students, increase in the number of Sanskriti Model Schools from 138 to 500 and setting up 50 STEM labs for integrated learning on the lines of Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL).

To empower women, the Chief Minister announced an award, loans for entrepreneurs and hostels for working women. He said the state had set a target of setting up and supporting 10,000 self-help groups in 2022-23.

For farmers, he announced a programme on natural farming and a one-time settlement scheme for waiver of interest if the principal loan amount is paid by November 30, 2022. The scheme will be applicable to loans of Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies and District Central Cooperative Boards.

Khattar also announced setting up of three dedicated funds — Climate & Sustainable Development Fund to achieve environment objectives, Research & Innovation Fund and Venture Capital Fund to promote entrepreneurship.

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