The Chhattisgarh state assembly on Monday approved the Appropriation Bill of Rs 95,899 crore for the 2019-20 fiscal by a voice vote.

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel addressing the House said, the total expenses are Rs 90910 crore out of which revenue expenditure is Rs 78,595 crore while the capital expenditure is Rs 12,110 crore.

The budgetary deficit is Rs 10,880 crore, which is less than the three percent of GSDP.

As on March 31, 2018, the public loan debt was Rs 39,030 crore. As per the RBI report 2018, Chhattisgarh is a state which is better in loan and interest payment compared to other states which is 17.4 percent of the GSDP. It is less than all other states’ average of 23.2 percent. Chhattisgarh’s loan interest payment is 1.1 percent of the GSDP as against 1.7 percent of other states.

“For us definition of development is bringing changes in the life of villagers, farmers and workers and not building, bridges and ‘concrete jungle’. Loan has been taken for loan waiver of farmers and procurement of paddy at a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 2500 per quintal.

Loan has not been taken for construction of bridges or distribution of mobile phones. Present government has the burden of payment incurred due to the merger of ‘Shikshakarmis’ by last government,” the chief minister said.

Baghel assured the House that rights of tribes residing in state will be protected. He said last government received 8.55 lakh claims out of which 4.51 lakh land title under forest rights were rejected. The community forest rights claims will be further probed and the cases will be reconsidered.

“Government is committed to repay the local people duped by chit fund companies and cases registered against agents will be withdrawn. The filing of online claim pertaining to PACL cases will start from March 1.

Concept of ‘Narva, Guruva, Ghurva and Baadi’ (NGGB) will strengthen the rural economy and will turn into a milestone of rural development. The different departments like agriculture, animal husbandry, forest, panchayat and rural development among others will be implementing the schemes for which the budgetary allocation has been provided,” he said.

The CM said a horticulture university would be set up in the state.

“Agro-based industries will help generation of employment for youth. A meeting of relevant companies will be called and suggestions from industrialists will be taken for new industrial policy 2019,” he said.

The MLA development fund has been hiked to Rs 2 crore and MLA’s public relations fund to Rs 10 lakh, he announced.