State Finance Minister Dr Rameshwar Oraon presented the fifth Budget of Congress, JMM and RJD government in the State in the tune of Rs 1,28,900 crore for Financial Year 2024-25 here on Friday, focusing primarily on education, rural development, panchayati raj, agriculture and allied sectors, health, drinking water, welfare and social welfare, Tourism, Land Revenue, Police, disaster management among others.

The budget makes provision of Rs 91,831.54 crore for revenue expenditure and Rs 37,068.46 crore for capital expenditure. The Finance Minister said that the government is trying to increase the capital expenditure gradually to give a push to development works in the State. He said that there has been an increase in plan expenditure as compared to establishment expenditure over the past four years.

In one of the major announcements in the Budget the government increased loan waiver of farmers from Rs 50 thousand to Rs 2 lakh and farmers holding NPA accounts will also be included under this scheme. A provision of Rs 40,606.57 crore was kept for agriculture and animal husbandry in the Budget.

Dr Rameshwar Oraon said in a press conference after the budget presentation that the priority of the government is to provide relief to farmers from drought and increasing their income is our priority. He said that under the Birsa Seed Production Scheme in 2023-24, about 2 lakh 10 thousand farmers were benefited by distributing seeds.

Dr Oraon said that his government will provide mosquito nets, dresses, oil-soap and bucket-mugs to pregnant women. He said that 1000 maternal kits worth Rs 500 will be provided for the health and hygiene of pregnant women and mother and child. A total of 6 lakh beneficiaries will get benefit under this scheme

A separate provision of Rs 90 crore has been made in the Women, Child Development and Social Security Department for maternal kit. He said that this provision has been made for the health of the mother and child.

The Finance Minister said that Champai Soren's government will now also give soybean-flakes to the ration card holders. He said that before this, Hemant Soren's government had decided to give one kg pulses to the poor every month, which the card holders are getting. The Finance Minister said that now along with rice and pulses, the government will also provide vegetables and soya beans.

The benefit of Soya bean flakes will be available to those ration card holders who are covered under the National Food Security Act and Jharkhand State Food Security Scheme. The government has kept a budget of Rs 2,860 crore for the Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Department.

Oraon said that the state government will establish a medical college in the capital Ranchi in the coming years with the aim of strengthening tertiary health care. Along with this, RIMS will also be strengthened. He said that a medico city will be established on the land available in the campus of RINPAS.

The Finance Minister said that while giving the status of industry to tourism in the state, the government has formed a separate tourism policy. He said that there are immense possibilities of tourism in Jharkhand. Tourism industry is also very helpful in providing employment opportunities to the local people.

He said that Netarhat will be developed as a tourist destination. He said that Netarhat Tourist Development Authority has been formed for this.

Dr Oraon announced that the Champai Soren government has initiated the Manki Munda Scholarship Scheme. Under this, students will be provided assistance up to Rs 30 thousand every year. He said that those pursuing graduation and diploma studies in technical educational institutions of the state will benefit from this. Financial assistance of Rs 15,000 per year will be provided to diploma level students and Rs 30,000 per year to graduate level students. It will be implemented from the financial year 2024-25.