Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presented first budget of the Congress government for 2023-24 with total budget outlay of Rs 53, 413 crore; estimated receipts of Rs 37,999 crore and estimated of Rs 42,704 crore with a revenue deficit of Rs 4704 crore and a fiscal deficit of Rs 42,704 crore. .
Out of every 100 rupees Rs 16.35 will come from central taxes, Rs 25.11 from state taxes, Rs 6.65 from non taxes from the state revenue, Rs 25.16 from grant in aid, Rs 24.14 from and Rs 2.54 from advances and deposits.
From every hundred rupees Rs 33.05 expenditure will go to general services, Rs 31.64 to social services, Rs 12.91 to economic services, Rs 0.04 to pay loan advances, Rs 9.74 on capital expenditure and Rs 2.33 on subsidies, Rs 10.27 to loan payments and Rs 0.02 for grants in Aid. Rs.26 will be spent on salary, Rs.16 on pension, Rs.10 on interest payment, Rs.10 on loan repayment, Rs.9 on grant to autonomous institutions and Rs 29 would be spent on other activities.
Education sector would get Rs 17, health Rs 6, rural Development Rs 4, Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal husbandry and fisheries Rs 3, Public works Rs 8, water supply and sanitation Rs 3, social welfare programmes Rs 4, pensions Rs 16, loan and interest repayment Rs 10 each, irrigation and flood control and transport Rs 2 each and others Rs 15 from every hundred rupees.
No new tax was levied in the budget however milk cess of Rs 10 on every liquor bottle has been put to raise income of milk producers and to put water cess on hydro power generation in the state.
With a focus on the resource mobilization, green energy and employment generation and attract private investment the CM announced to set up solar energy projects of 500 MW in the budget, to convert the state into a model state for electric vehicles by replacing 1500 diesel buses by spending Rs 1000 crore and develop green hydrogen based energy in the state.
The CM also announced to open a bureau of international investment promotion, start new industrial policy, start an EV port bus stand at Hamiprur, launch Him Ganga Yojna to promote milk production and fisheries development and launch anti-drug policy in the state.
The CM proposed 13 new schemes in the budget including Mukhyamantri Laghu Shopkeeper Welfare Scheme for small shopkeepers such as tailors, barbers, tea vendors, ready-made cloth vendors through which fifty percent subsidy would be on interest for loan of Rs fifty thousand.
The CM in his speech announced to increase MLA development fund from Rs 2 crore to Rs 2.10 crore and discretionary fund from Rs 12 to 13 lakh.
He also announced to increase honorarium of Zila Parishad Chairman and Vice Chairman and Mayor and Deputy Mayor of MC to Rs 20000 and Rs 15000 respectively, Zila Parishad members to Rs 6500, MC members to Rs 7000, Panchayat Samiti President Rs 9500, and Vice President Rs 7000 and Panchayat Samiti member Rs 6000 per month.
The honorarium of Panchayat Pradhan has been raised to Rs 6000, Vice President Rs 4000 and Rs 500 per meeting to a ward member. The honorarium of the chairman of the Municipal council has been increased to Rs 8500, vice-chairman to Rs 7000 and of a councilor 3500 per month.
The wage of daily wagers has been increased to Rs 375, MNREGA workers from Rs 212 to Rs 240, anganwadi worker to Rs 9500, anganwadi helpers Rs 5200, water carriers and multipurpose task workers to Rs 4400 and that of pump operators Rs 6000.