Preparations are on to give final touch to the first budget of the third term of the Raman Singh-led BJP Government. Discussion on all proposals of new heads of all departments would be held from December 19 to 24. Probably the 2014-15 general budget of Chhattisgarh would be more than Rs 40,000 crore.
Department-wise discussion on the heads of the budget had already been held. Now, after the formation of the Government, discussion would begin on new heads. This budget of 2014-15 is likely to be presented in the budget session of the Assembly, in February.
As the Cabinet has not been formed now, proposals on new heads have been sought from all departments. On December 19, discussion on the proposals of five departments, panchayat and rural development, finance planning, commercial tax, religious endowment, culture, tourism, agriculture, veterinary, fisheries, Village industries and water resources, home, jail, transport etc would be held.
It would be a matter to be seen that which points of the election manifesto would be included in the new heads. The Cabinet is likely to be formed on December 17 and after that the secretary, after discussion with the Minister concerned of the department, could include some points of the manifesto in the budget proposal. The budget could be finalised by the first or second week of January.
According to the programme fixed by the finance department, on December 20, discussion on the budget proposals of health and family welfare, urban administration, housing, environment, commerce and industry, law and justice, PWD, sports and youth welfare, forest and parliamentary affairs; on December 23 - higher education, women education, science and technology, manpower planning, food and civil supplies, tribal and scheduled caste development, general administration and on December 24 – public health engineering, relief and rehabilitation, revenue-disaster management and general administration, school education, mining resources, information technology, energy, public relations, commercial tax and division department could be held.
After discussion, new head could be included in the budget. In the year 2014-15, the budget could be of more than Rs 40,000 crore. Budget amount of many department could be increased comparing to last year.