Jharkhand breaks into six-digit budget bracket
Finance minister Rameshwar Oroan proposed a ₹1,01,010-crore budget, with a proposal to hike capital expenditure by 59 %.
New welfare measures, including free electricity to those consuming up to 100 units per month, Guruji Credit Card Scheme for poor students pursuing higher studies, additional fund of ₹50,000 each under PM Awaas Yojna for construction of one extra room and woollen dress for poor children are the key highlights of Jharkhand’s budget for 2022-23 financial year, which was tabled by the Hemant Soren government in the state assembly on Thursday.
Finance minister Rameshwar Oroan proposed a ₹1,01,010-crore budget, with a proposal to hike capital expenditure by 59 per cent. With an increase of around 11 per cent, as compared to the ₹91,277 crore budget in 2021-22, the proposed budget size of Jharkhand has for the first time touched six digits, with major hike in sectoral allocation in health, water, food distribution and drinking water.
“Capital expenditure is necessary for development of the state. Therefore, we are proposing ₹24,827.70 crore as capital expenditure, a hike of 59 per cent. The budget size would increase by 11 per cent, with increased spending in social sector, with special focus on health, drinking water, food distribution and education,” said Oraon.
In sectoral allocation, while the health sector has got a hike of 27 per cent, drinking water got 20 per cent hike, 21 per cent hike for food distribution and education got a hike of six per cent.
Among the major welfare schemes, the government proposed to provide free electricity for those consuming up to 100 units per month, credit card for students, additional fund under PM Awaas Yojna, additional five lakh ration cards and one kilogram of dal (pulse) @Re 1 every month to each of around existing 64 lakh ration card holders in the state and woollen dress for poor children.
On the infrastructure front, the government proposed to construction of a new airport at Sahebganj in Santhal Parganas divison, which is emerging as a multi-modal transport hub, buying air ambulance, new road networks, especially in the state capita Ranchi, and housing scheme in Ranchi and Deoghar.
Addressing press conference after the tabling the budget, Oraon said the blueprint of implementing the schemes like free electricity and Guruji Credit Card Scheme would be worked out and implemented after being cleared by the cabinet.
“The electricity waiver and additional fund for the PM Awas Yojna was part of the poll promise of the ruling parties. The electricity bill waiver is meant for the poor and the farmers and will incentivise those who consume up to 100 units per month. The funds provided under PM Awaas Yojna is not enough. So we will providing ₹50,000 additional fund for construction of one extra room,” said Oraon.
Explaining the modalities for the ambitious Guruji Credit Card Scheme, named after JMM supremo Shibu Soren who is popularly known as Guruji, finance secretary Ajoy Kumar Singh said it is aimed at helping poor students getting education loan for higher studies without a guarantor.
“The final modalities are being worked out and it will be cleared by the cabinet. The loan amount could vary from ₹10 lakh to ₹15 lakh at a very low interest rate. Under the scheme, beneficiary students will not have to mortgage any property or require any guarantor,” said Singh.
On the economy front, the budget proposed to keep fiscal deficit at 2.81 per cent ( ₹11,286.47 crore) of the state GDP, which is projected at growing at 6.15 per cent in the coming financial year.
Speaking to reporters after the tabling of the budget, chief minister Hemant Soren described the proposals beneficial to all sections of the populace. “The budget takes care of all sections of the general masses. There is something for all sections, be it the poor, youth or students,” said Soren.
The opposition BJP, however, described the budget as “disappointing”. “This budget does not even has new wine in the old bottle. It lacks in direction, vision and any policy. The basic reason is that those leading this government do not have the vision of governance. Governance is not their priority. This government kept shedding crocodile tears that they do not have funds, but at the end, we see that they actually spent only 40 per cent of the budgetary allocation,” said Jharkhand BJP president and Rajya Sabha member Deepak Prakash.
Budget 2022-23 highlights
Free electricity up to 100 units per month
Guruji Credit Card Scheme for poor students
Additional ₹50,000 under PM Awaas Yojna
Woolen dress for poor children
Providing 1 kg dal (pulse) every month @Re1 to around 64 lakh ration card holders
Buying air ambulances
Housing scheme in Ranchi, Deoghar
Modern city bus transport in Ranchi, Jamesdhpur and Dhanbad
