Chhattisgarh’s budget size since its formation about 13 years back has increased five fold to a mammoth Rs36,874 crore.
The budget in the State since its formation in November 2000 grew from a mere Rs7,294.94 crore consistently to Rs8,471.82 crore in 2002-03 while reaching Rs9,978.18 crore in 2003-04.
The first main budget of the State established under the leadership of Chief Minister Raman Singh during 2004-05 was at Rs10,555.12 crore which peaked upto Rs11,242.57 crore in 2005-06, Rs13,185.43 crore in 2006-07, Rs16,473.54 crore in 2007-08, Rs19,392.42 crore in 2008-09, Rs23,482 crore in 2009-10, Rs26,099.67 crore in 2010-11, Rs32,477.77 crore in 2011-12, Rs39,677.20 crore in 2012-13 and during 2013-14, the main budget of the State stood at Rs44,169 crore .
Moreover, compared to 2012-13, the budget of the State had augmented by Rs5,676 crore. The budget of the current financial year during the 12th Plan Period is the second budget in which top priority had been accorded to the welfare of the weakest in the social strata and to remove regional imbalance for ensuring equitable development in the State.
Highest budget allocation of 41 per cent (Rs17,761 crore) had been made in the current year’s budget for the social sector schemes.
As per the announcement made by CM, the State had earmarked a separate Agriculture Budget for the second consecutive year in the State. The budgets of Fisheries, Horticulture and livestock had been included with the Agriculture budget.
Taking the aforesaid departments together, during 2012-13, the Agriculture budget for the first time in the State was prepared for Rs6,244 crore which had now increased to Rs8,542 crore during 2013-14—a hike of 37 per cent.
It may be mentioned that the State’s Agriculture budget during 2001-02 was Rs111.33 crore. The Government’s Energy Department budget was at Rs111.12 crore which reached a size of Rs1,936.51 crore during 2012-13.
The Higher Education budget of the Government which was a mere Rs87.32 crore during 2001-02 had reached Rs582 crore during the current financial year. The Health Department budget which stood at Rs206.79 crore during 2001-02 stands at Rs1,271 crore during 2013-14.
This apart, most of the Government departments have witnessed a phenomenal rise in their budget during the past 13 years since the formation of Chhattisgarh State.