Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has claimed that the Budget presented in the Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday would ensure faster development of Madhya Pradesh. The budget had taken care of welfare of all sections of society. It was a revenue surplus budget for the 11th consecutive year.
The Chief Minister also congratulated the Finance Minister for balanced and development-oriented budget.
The Chief Minister said that the Budget aimed at fulfilling targets of Vision-2018 for Madhya Pradesh”s development. The budget involving about Rs1.31 lakh crore was 12 per cent more than last year. In it, capital expenditure has increased by 13.8 per cent and revenue expenditure only 9.9 per cent.
In comparison to Gross State Domestic Product, loans have reduced to 19.6 per cent from 20.7 per cent last year. loan interest payment compared to revenue receipts is only 7.04 per cent, which was 22 per cent during year 2003-04. Compared to revenue receipts, expenditure of payment of salaries/allowances has decreased constantly which will be reduced to only 22.63 percent during current fiscal.
The Chief Minister said that infrastructure development had been given priority in the Budget. A sum of Rs5,900 crore had been earmarked for roads, Rs2,800 crore for rural roads, Rs9,700 crore for power, budget of Rs22,000 crore had been proposed for SC, ST and Backward Classes Welfare, Rs4,400 crore for Women and Child Development and Rs15,700 crore for school education. A sum of Rs7,400 crore has been allocated for irrigation and Rs19,600 crore has been earmarked for agriculture and allied sectors. Necessary arrangements for increasing skill development and investment have been made in the budget.
Provision of recruitment of 5,000 police personnel has been made in the budget to make law & order more effective. Apart from promoting tourism, sports and culture, adequate provisions for holding Simhastha has been made in the budget.
The Chief Minister has described it as a balanced and welfare-oriented budget for ensuring infrastructure development and augmenting investment.