Eyeing the next year’s Assembly polls, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Tuesday presented the Budget for the 2015-16 financial year and announced sops for the people of the State, particularly for the women and children.
Gogoi presented the Rs265.32 crore deficit Budget and announced several schemes for the women and children, including a separate development council for women and children, working women hostels in all district headquarters, residential schools for girls’ belonging to BPl families in every district headquarters, financial assistance to women Self Help Groups, assistance for unmarried women, widows and for marriages of girls of BPl families.
“A separate development authority for women and children shall be set up to facilitate expeditious implementation of schemes for their (women and children) welfare,” announced Gogoi in his Budget speech. The Chief Minister added that there will be working women’s hostel, residential girls’ school for girls of BPl families in each district headquarters,” Gogoi said.
Besides, the Budget include proposals for providing assistance to over 1 lakh women SHGs in the State and providing financial assistance to the widow, unmarried women and marrying off girls of BPl families. The Chief Minister also announced setting up of women cell in all police stations in the State and proposed to reserve 30 per cent posts of unarmed police constables for the women so that police force is equipped to deal with crimes against women.
The Chief Minister also proposed to amend the policy for welfare of small tea gardens for using the cess collected to make it more effective. The small tea growers produce over 30 per cent of State’s total tea production. The Chief Minister also proposed to provide funds for the SHGs of small tea growers to set up bought leaf factory to the tune of Rs10 lakh as incentive.
Gogoi further proposed to impose a cess of Rs1 per pack of cigarettes to raise funds for improving health services in Assam. With the cancer patients increasing and considering the fact the
cancer drugs are taxed, I propose to exempt the cancer drugs from VAT in the State,” he said. “I also propose to substantially increase tax and fees on liquor with a view to discourage alcoholism and spread bar and liquor shops. This with other measures estimate that the excise revenue would increase to Rs1,250 crore fro existing Rs650 crore during the 2015-16 fiscal,” he added.
Gogoi’s Budget for the year 2015-15 also assured to fill up 65,000 posts in Government sector. “My Government believes in the strength and spirit of the youth. My Government will make all efforts for employment generation for more than 7 lakh young people in near future,” he said vacancies in the State police will also be filled up.
The Chief Minister further assured to undertake new schemes for overall improvement of standard of living and of the social indicators of various communities and ethnic groups. Gogoi also proposed six more development council for the Garo, Kumar, Madahi, Sut,
Hajong and Chaodang communities and provide adequate funds for their development through these councils. The Budget also included proposal for setting up a State environment management authority and schemes to reduce the man-elephants conflict. Gogoi said that the Government will initiate special incentive packages for small and medium industry and that emphasis will be given on development of food processing, medicinal plants, bamboo, rubber industries.