Keeping in view upcoming lok Sabha elections, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh on Friday presented a populist but deficit Rs 23.613 crore budget for financial year 2014-15.
Virbhadra Singh, who is six times Chief Minister of the State and also holds finance portfolio, tabled his 17th budget in the House. Singh termed the budget as pro-people and catering to all sections of society, with no new taxes imposed on people. “The total budget expenditure estimated for 2014-15 is Rs 23,613 crore, out of which estimated expenditure on salaries is Rs 7, 647 crore,” said Singh. On pensions the expenditure will be Rs 3,496 crore and estimated interest payments would be Rs 2,750 crore with loan repayment expected to be Rs 1,511 crore apart from Rs 367 crore on other loans and Rs 1,840 crore on maintenance.
To woo over 2.5 lakh Government employees and pensioners of the State, the Chief Minister announced 10 percent Dearness Allowance (DA) from July 1, 2013. With this announcement, the additional annual benefit to the government employees and the pensioners will be to the tune of Rs 580 crore As per the budget estimates, against an expenditure of every Rs 100, the State will have Rs 70.82, as the total receipts including transfers from the Central Government excluding loans. The gap of Rs 29.18 will be met by borrowing and ways and means advances.
The receipt and expenditure are estimated at Rs 21,506.91 crore and Rs 23,613.36 respectively and the cumulative deficit for year 2014-15 is likely to be Rs 2732 crore. The annual plan outlay of Rs 4,400 crore was proposed for 2014-15, compared to Rs 4,100 crore in 2013-14. Virbhadra Singh also announced to increase daily wages from Rs 150 to Rs 170 and all daily wage earners, who have completed seven years of service till March 2014 would be regularised.
The State Government has also decided to grant dual family pension to the families of military family pensioners from financial year 2014-15. “I am pleased to announce that all persons above the age of 80 will get a social security pension of Rs 1,000 per month irrespective of any income limit except those drawing any other pension,” said Virbhadra while adding that people of this age group are very vulnerable and around 60,000 persons above the age of 80 will come under this pension scheme.
Opening the doors of employment for youths in the election year, the Chief Minister said that 5,000 functional posts will be filled up during the year 2014-15 and the Government would amend recruitment and promotion rules for the advantage of 75, 000 class IV employees. To curb the crime against women in tourist hotspots, namely Shimla and Dharamshala, Virbhadra announced that two woman police stations will be setup. Singh also announced enhancement of marriage grant to the daughters and granddaughter of freedom fighters and made it Rs 51,000 and Rs 21,000 respectively.
He said that government proposes to set up a city museum and entertainment park for the tourists and public in general in the heart of Shimla city. The museum would profile Shimla in dimensions of both past and present. “An year-long calendar of events has been drawn to fill the historic city of Shimla with colour, music, drama under the theme of Shimla Celebrates,” said Singh.
For administrative reforms, the Chief Minister took a cue from Delhi Government’s anti-corruption toll free number, and announced that a toll-free number to report the cases of corruption in the Government departments will be launched. The action will be initiated expeditiously and the identity of the complainants will be kept confidential, he said. He also proposed a public service delivery helpline for all Government departments.
However, BJP criticised the budget of the Government and leader of Opposition, Prem Kumar Dhumal said that Chief Minister has given only assurances and made tall claims. Dhumal also took a dig on enhancement of marriage grant to the daughters of freedom fighters. “Are the daughters of freedom fighters still at marriageable ageIJ” asked Dhumal.