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Gehlot revives pension scheme in state budget
With assembly elections scheduled for 2023 in the state, the budget took a populist tone with an all new agriculture budget and no changes to the tax regime.
The revival of the old pension scheme, smart phones to 13.3 crore women with three year internet connection, an urban employment guarantee scheme and subsidised electricity for domestic consumers, these were among the key proposals brought by Rajashan chief minister Ashok Gehlot in the state budget on Wednesday.
With assembly elections scheduled for 2023 in the state, the budget took a populist tone with an all new agriculture budget and no changes to the tax regime.
Gehlot also proposed to increase the health cover under the state government’s Chiranjeevi Health Insurance Scheme from ₹5 lakh to ₹10 lakh annually per family and providing accident insurance of ₹5 lakh to families under the Mukhyamantri Chiranjeevi Accidental Insurance Scheme. He also announced a new work for home scheme for 20,000 women, a separate cadre of english medium teachers for Mahatma Gandhi English Medium schools and upgradation of all 3,820 government secondary schools to senior secondary level.
“After seeing the budget, the people will feel the future vision of Rajasthan. Every sector has been taken care in the budget. Even the opposition BJP is welcoming the budget in their heart. The budget is such every citizen has to welcome it. No one expected such a budget, especially looking toward Corona (coronavirus pandemic),” said Gehlot.
In the agriculture budget , the CM announced 11 missions under the Mukhya Mantri Krishak Sathi Yojna worth ₹10,000 crore in an attempt to woo farmers, who make up for about 70% of the state’s population.
He also proposed to give the tourism and hospitality sector industry status.
For government servants, he had two big announcements. First, all employees who have joined after 2004 will have an option to enroll for old pension scheme from next financial year, in which one gets assured pension, and second, employees of corporations, boards, and universities would now be paid in accordance with the seventh pay commission’s recommendations.
“We all know that the employees associated with the government services should feel secure about the future, only then they can make their invaluable contribution towards good governance during the service period. Therefore, for all the employees appointed on or after January 1, 2004, I propose to implement the old pension scheme,” he said.
To provide financial relief to families, Gehlot announced free electricity up to 50 units to domestic users who consume 100 units every months that would benefit about 11.8 million people from lower income group. He added that subsidy of ₹3 per unit grant will be provided to those consuming 150 units per month and ₹2 per unit for those consuming 150-300 units. “The government will be bear burden of ₹4,500 crore,” the CM said, terming it as “Corona-relief”.
Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje termed the budget disappointing and said, “The budget is not based on prudent financial policy and is politically oriented, and has no vision. For the first time a separate agriculture budget is presented but it is merely eyewash. A clear picture will emerge once figures are studied.”
Political analyst Manish Godha said it seems to be election budget and will put immense financial implications on the state exchequer. “It is a populist budget and the CM has tried focusing and catering every section of the society such as jobs for youth, phones for women, medical insurance up to ₹10 lakh, free electricity and subsidies...” he said.
