Himachal Pradesh Budget 2023: Cow cess on liquor; move to fetch Rs 100 crore per annum

CM says cow cess of Rs 10/bottle to be imposed on sale of liquor bottles; move to fetch Rs 100 crore revenue per annum

Honorarium for Panchayat representatives, urban local bodies hiked; MNREGA daily wages raised from Rs 212 to 240

New Horticulture policy would be brought to save the horticulturist from the clutches of middlemen, says Himachal CM.

Fish Farming will be promoted and 80 per cent subsidy will be given on setting up of fish ponds. CM says this had been done based on a survey and trout farming will be promoted to supplement farmers income.

CM announces Rs 1,916 crore for the Rural Development and Panchayati Raj department.

Farmers and their groups will be provided loan on two per cent interest for starting start ups. He announces Rs 500 crore Him Ganga scheme for providing appropriate milk rate to the farmers.

To check drug menace, a campaign will be launched and laws will be made stringent and a Bill will be brought in the assembly.  He said Rs 2,233 crore would be spent on the social sector and new 40,000 social security pensions will be given.

He said Rs 25,000 would be provided to 20,000 girl students to buy electric scooties.

CM Sukhu says all orphan will be called children of the state. He said Rs 1.50 lakh would be provided to 7,000 women for making house under CM Vidhva and Ekal Nari Awas Yojna.

In every senior secondary school, a library will be set up, 10,000 meritorious students will be given tablets. CM allocates of Rs 8828 crore for Education sector in the budget.

He said Rs 416 crore will be spent on providing Rs 1,500 monthly financial help to women between 18 to 60 years as committed by the Congress in its guarantees.

Coming to the Education sector, he said thrust will on quality as 3148 schools, which is 30 per cent of total schools. He announces one Government Rajiv Day Model School in every assembly segment at a cost of Rs 300 crore.

In the health sector, CM says Rs 100 crore will be spent on undertaking robotic surgery at all the six medical colleges. One Model Health Institution will be set up on each assembly constituency. He said PET scan facility will be set up in every medical college and nursing colleges would be set up in Chamba, Nahan and Hamirpur medical colleges.

CM announces allocation of Rs 3139 crore for the Health sector.

He says Kangra will be developed as tourism capital and a golf course and shikara and cruise will operated.

He said a zoo will be set up at Bankhandi in Kangra at a cost of Rs 300 crore.

CM says the priority of the government is to promote tourism and expansion of airports will be priority. He said the Centre had not released the provision of Rs 1,000 crore for Mandi airport and Rs 400 crore for Gaggal airport as per recommendations of the 15 Finance Commission.

He announces Rs 1,000 crore for extension of Gaggal airport runway. He announced Rs 30 crore for setting up of heliports in every district.

To develop HP as Green State, thrust will be to reduce carbon emissions and 1,500 diesel buses of HRTC will be replaced with electric buses for which a provision has been made for Rs 1,000 crore.

Sukhu said HP will be developed as Green Hydrogen economy and the government will formulate a policy for green hydrogen.

CM announces Rs 50 lakh subsidy to Himachali youth to purchase e-bus and e- truck.

CM says Himachal will be developed as a Green state by 2026 and two panchayats will be developed as Green Panchayt. He said thrust will be on tapping 500 MW will be developed and HP will be developed as model electric vehicle state and six green corridors will be develop to reduce emissions.

CM says the Congress government would restore the old pension scheme, benefitting 1.36 lakh employees. He urged opposition to urge Centre to release the Rs 8,000 crore lying with it as NPS contribution.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presents the budget proposals for the financial year 2022-23 amidst thumping of tables by treasury benches. Opposition BJP MLA’s enter the House wearing black bands