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Supplementary budget of Rs2,452 crore tabled in Uttarakhand Assembly
In an attempt to appease the salaried class and farmers ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the Uttarakhand government has allocated a major portion of the budget for revenue expenditure and agriculture sector.
The Uttarakhand government on Tuesday tabled its supplementary budget of Rs 2,452.41 crore in the assembly to meet the additional expenditure for the financial year 2018-19.
In an attempt to appease the salaried class and farmers ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the government has allocated a major portion of the budget for revenue expenditure and agriculture sector. The annual budget with an outlay of Rs 45,585.09 crore was presented in March this year.
The supplementary budget was presented by finance minister Prakash Pant.
“Allocations have been made to almost all sectors but the focus is primarily on key sectors such as horticulture, animal husbandry, agriculture, rural development, education and health,” Pant told HT after tabling the supplementary budget.
Out of the supplementary budget, Rs 1,706.25 crore was allocated for revenue expenditure to meet the salary and establishment costs. “The rest (of the supplementary budget) of Rs 746.16 crore was allocated for capital investment, which is meant for asset creation or infrastructure building,” Pant clarified.
He said Rs 365.45 crore was cumulatively allocated to agriculture, horticulture and animal husbandry sectors.
“A major portion of Rs 218.17 crore is allocated for rural development,” Pant said adding that education, water supply and medical and health departments were allocated Rs 206. 06 crore, Rs 184.19 crore and Rs 166.13 crore respectively.
Pant said a budget of Rs 10 crore was aside for children studying in English medium schools under the Right to Education (RTE) act. “The issue has been taken care of by way of allocation of funds.” he said. Pant was replying to a query on English medium schools refusing to admit children citing lack of government aid.
A total allocation of Rs 261.96 crore was made for expenditure relating to salaries of state employees and pensions for those who have retired.
Similarly, for the World Bank aided fiscal management project, a separate fund of Rs 16 crore was allocated. And for the preparation for the Mahakumbh, a fair of Hindu devotees to be held in Haridwar in 2022, Rs 50 lakh was allocated.
