Sops for women: Professional tax exemption, 50% discount in ST bus fare

From the next financial year, women earning up to ₹25,000 a month will not have to pay professional tax while all women can travel in the MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) buses at half the ticket fare

From the next financial year, women earning up to ₹25,000 a month will not have to pay professional tax while all women can travel in the MSRTC (Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation) buses at half the ticket fare. Further, every girl from the families below poverty line will receive ₹98,000 towards their education expenses. The stringent rule stipulating that a woman cannot sell her house to a male buyer for 15 years after availing 1% stamp duty concession has now been done away with.

Pune, India - April 20, 2022: The bus operations of the Pune division at Swargate ST Bus Stand of the Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) is on track as protesting workers have resumed duties. At least 3,200 of the 4,192 workers have joined back, in Pune, India, on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. (Photo by Rahul Raut/HT PHOTO) (Rahul Raut/HT Photo)

These were among a slew of announcements made in Eknath Shinde-Devendra Fadnavis government’s first budget, which targeted women from rural areas, working class and under-privileged families. Coincidentally, it was presented a day after International Women’s Day.

Deputy CM and finance minister Devendra Fadnavis said the government would extend the exemption limit for professional tax from a monthly salary of ₹10,000 to ₹25,000, which could help save up to ₹2,500 per year.

At the same time, he announced a raise of ₹1,500 in honorarium paid to 81,000 Asha workers and 3,500 group promoters. Besides, anganwadi workers would hence get ₹10,000 instead of ₹8,325 while the honorarium for mini anganwadi workers would reach ₹7,200 from ₹5,975 and for anganwadi helpers it would be ₹5,500 from the current ₹4,425. The state government will also fill the 20,000 vacant posts of anganwadi and mini anganwadi assistants.

Towards education of girl children from low-income group families, Fadnavis announced Lek Ladki scheme with a financial assistance of ₹98,000. Now, a child would get ₹5,000 at the time of birth, ₹4,000 when she enters first standard in school, ₹6,000 after reaching sixth standard, ₹8,000 after entering 11th standard, and ₹75,000 on completion of 18 years.

The finance minister also announced 50 new hostels for working women while a new scheme, Shakti Sadan, would be launched to help women in distress, and those facing sexual exploitation and domestic violence. Under the scheme, 50 shelter homes would be set up with the help from the Central government to provide legal aid, medical care and counselling.

Among other women-centric measures the state aimed to implement were a tourism policy for safe and convenient travel, schemes for the benefit of about 37 lakh women associated with self-help groups, development of a bamboo cluster in Latur and Kolhapuri chappal cluster in Kolhapur, and construction of a unity mall in Mumbai.

The total budgetary allocations for the women and child development department stand at ₹2,843 crore.