Thrust on poverty alleviation, ST/SC development, Raghubar Das tables Rs 75,673 crore budget
Jharkhand first state to table budget for 2017-18
Putting thrust on poverty alleviation, Jharkhand chief minister Raghubar Das on Monday presented a Rs 75,673.42 crore annual budget for the year 2017-18 with focus on agriculture, education and skill development, rural development amidst opposition’ protest and walkout by the JMM legislators.
The opposition were demanding revocation of the four suspended legislators – three JMM and one congress MLA and demanding to repeal the two amendment bills related to changes made in the land laws – CNT and SPT Act.
Taking departure from the plan and non-plan heads, the state budget was prepared on the basis of capital expenditure and revenue expenditure and the amount of outlay on the two heads is pegged at - Rs 57,861.32 crore and Rs 17,812.10 crore respectively. It is 19.7 per cent more allocations for the next fiscal than the current year.
The budget also made separate estimates for the development of the scheduled tribes (ST) and scheduled caste (SC) allotting Rs 22,259 crore for special schemes related to their uplift. Last year it was gender and agriculture specific budget, which too has been given stress by allotting 30.05 and 12 per cent more allocations this fiscal respectively.
Apart from agriculture, education and skill development, rural development, the budget also laid emphasis on agriculture, women empowerment and infrastructure – electricity, roads, communication (including civil aviation and railways).
The 1 hour 25 minute budget speech of Das began with the visions of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and Deendayal Upadhyay and ended with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s poem eulogizing the collective growth.
In the post budget press meet Das said, “The government is keen to end poverty and holistic growth, hence the focus is on agriculture, rural development, women empowerment, education and skill development.” He also informed about the launch of CM Fellowship scheme to encourage meritorious students.
Opposition leader Hemant Soren described the budget as unenthusiastic. “Sarkar nahi circus hai (it circus, not governance),” he said adding that the BJP led government is amusing the rich by oppressing the poor.
Hemant said the interest on loan components will be Rs 300 crore and questioned wherefrom the government will arrange it. He also mentioned that the CM fellowship programme is the brain child of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Total budget: Rs 75,673.42 crore
Revenue expenditure: Rs 57,861.32 crore
Capital expenditure: Rs 17812.10 crore
Budgetary allocations:
Education: 13.90%
Rural development and Panchayati Raj: 13.84%
Road and building construction: 8.06%
Energy: 7.93%
Agriculture and allied sector including water resources: 7.39%
Welfare/ minority welfare: 7.10%]
Policing and disaster management: 6.23%
Urban development, drinking water and sanitation: 6.02%
Health: 4.10%
Budget announcements:
Grameen krishi huts
Kisan pathsala to train them on new farming techniques; 12% hike in agriculture
One lakh smart phones to sakhi mandal (women self help groups)
Rs 50 crore educational loan guarantee fund for tribal students aspiring for higher studies
Tana Bhagat development authority to come up in the state
108 mukhya mantri kitchens to provide ready meals for the poor
University bus service for girl students
Jharkhand irrigation commission to come up this fiscal
Rs 325 crore allotted for rural roads
Constitution of Jharkhand kala academy to promote art and culture