The first round of discussions for drafting the supplementary budget has been completed. Various departments have been given till October 20 to list their budgetary requirements so that the draft of the supplementary budget is finalised well on time for the proposed Assembly session to be held at Gairsain in the first week of November. Chief secretary Rakesh Sharma said this while addressing the media here on Wednesday.
Sharma said, “Following the first round of departmental discussions on the supplementary budget we have almost finalised its parameters. We have kept factors like the Ardh Kumbh 2016 in mind. We have also considered the change in Central Government funding pattern with the Central-State ratio now being made 50:50 in various schemes. Funds will also be provisioned for executing the various announcements made by chief minister Harish Rawat till March 31 this year. Among the departments accorded more importance in the supplementary budget, the social welfare department is important considering the pensions and other facilities provided by it. The Public Works Department, Pejyal Nigam and Irrigation Department have
various infrastructural works to undertake. Instead of general borrowing, we will be making provision for project based borrowing from the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD),” said the Chief Secretary.
He also said that considering the positive response of the public to the chief minister Swasthya Bima Yojana, the State is considering raising of the reimbursement amount to the policy holder from `50,000 to `2,00,000. This will also reduce the load on the chief minister’s discretionary fund, added the chief secretary.