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Himachal Pradesh’s per capita income ₹60,000 higher than national individual earning, says chief minister Jai Ram Thakur
STATE BUDGET 2020-21 Presenting third budget of his government, Thakur announces ₹25 crore for natural farming; ₹20 crore for agriculture fund and ₹1,000-crore allocation for irrigation schemes; besides setting up 100 cluster schools and nine colleges of excellence
SHIMLA: The per capita income of Himachal Pradesh is much higher than that of the national per capita earning, chief minister Jai Ram Thakur said while presenting the budget for the financial year 2020-21 in the state assembly on Friday.
The state’s per capita income is ₹60,205 higher than that of the country, he said.
The per capita income of the state showed an increase of 6.6%, as it went up by ₹12,147 to ₹1,95,255 in 2019-20, against ₹1,83,108 in the previous fiscal.
The per capita net national income during the same fiscal is estimated to be ₹1,35,050.
The chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio, said 50,000 farmers have adopted natural farming in the state so far. Efforts will be made to encourage more farmers to adopt natural farming for which an amount of ₹25 crore will be spent in 2020-21, he said.
He proposed a ₹20-crore agriculture fund and announced the allocation of ₹1,000 crore for irrigation schemes.
GOING DIGITAL
“During the last two years, there has been a growth in structural development and in the work culture of the state,” the chief minister said.
He announced an increase in the government to citizen services from 52 to 62 under the e-Drishti portal. He said the state was moving ahead on implementing e-services and the cabinet meeting will also be made paperless.
He announced an increase in the MLA fund from ₹1.5 crore to ₹1.75 crore.
The chief minister announced for a special all-party committee for the allotment of land to farmers. A subsidy of 50% was announced on anti-hail net to protect fruit crops.
GOLDEN JUBILEE YEAR
Thakur said that the year 2020 will be celebrated as the golden jubilee year of the state.
He said all ministers in the state have given up subsidy on LPG cylinders and under the public distribution system.
He announced to start mobile veterinary vans and increase milk purchase price by ₹2.
A satellite imagery-based water conservation project and new skill development scheme are planned.
Thakur said that a target has been set to plant one crore saplings on 12,000 hectares of land in the state.
He announced the setting up of 100 cluster schools and nine colleges of excellence for quality education.
Mammography machines will be made available in all district hospitals to curb breast cancer among women.
INCENTIVE FOR TOBACCO-FREE PANCHAYATS
He announced ₹5 lakh cash prize for tobacco-free panchayats and ₹100 crore for a free medicine scheme.
A sum of ₹100 crore is proposed for the Dharamshala and Shimla Smart City Projects.
Cash prizes ₹50 lakh, ₹30 lakh and ₹25 lakh were announced for the top three districts in the district good governance index.
