Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presented the second budget of his government for 2024-25 financial year in Himachal Pradesh Vidhan Sabha Shimla on Saturday.
Presenting the budget the CM, as Finance Minister of the state, presented an outlay of Rs 58,444 crore for the financial year 2024-25 with a fiscal deficit of Rs 10,784 (4.7 percent of the State’s Domestic Product).
In his budget speech the CM said, “The state faced one of the worst monsoon floods last year in which several lives were lost and huge devastation affected the economy of the state adversely.”
He said, “Notwithstanding the financial crunch, the state government made every effort to provide succor to flood affected people, by personally visiting them in the need of hour and agencies like the World Bank and Niti Aayog had also appreciated commendable work done by our government during the natural calamity.”
The CM said, “Out of every Rs 100, only Rs 28 will be devoted for development works as Rs 25 will be spent on salaries, Rs 17 on pensions, Rs 11 on interest payment, Rs 9 on loan payment, Rs 10 on grants to autonomous institutions. And proposed to levy no new tax in the budget”
He announced an installment of 4 percent DA for employees from April 1, 2024 incurring a financial burden of Rs 580 crore on the state exchequer, wage of daily workers has been enhanced from Rs 375 to Rs 400 and outsource employees would get Rs 12000 now.”
The CM also announced to pay arrears of employees and pensioners from March 1, 2024 in phased manner and pensioners retired between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2021 would also be paid arrears related to Leave Encashment and Gratuity in phased manner.
The MLA Local Area Development Fund has been enhanced from Rs 2.10 crore to Rs 2.20 crore and the current MLA priorities limit has been enhanced from Rs 175 crore to Rs 195 crore, besides increase in MLA Discretionary Grant from Rs 13 lakh to Rs 14 lakh for every Assembly constituency .
CM announced a hike in the rate of cow milk from Rs 38 to Rs 45 and buffalo milk from Rs 38 to 55.and said Rs 150 crore will be spent in 2024-25 on strengthening infrastructure for milk procurement and its processing.
He said liabilities of all Milk cooperative societies will be waived off and under Him Ganga Yojna; a fully automated milk plant will be set up at Dagwar in Kangra district with a capacity of three lakh liters daily.
The CM said, “My government has fulfilled the demand for restoration of the old pension scheme and 1.15 lakh employees have opted for it and 2.37 laky women are being paid Rs 1500 per month as financial assistance.”
The CM announced in the budget to start seven new schemes i.e. Rajiv Gandhi Natural Farming Start up Yana, Bed Bari Pala Protsahan Yojna, Mukhyamantri Sukh Aarogya Yojna, Mukhyamantri Sukh Siksha Yojna, Maharshi Balmiki Kamgar Awas Yojna, Apna Vidyalay Yojna and Harit Vikas Yojna, besides making other announcements.
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