Gujarat’s Finance Minister Saurabh Patel tabled the State Budget for the year 2016-17 that promises to give rice and wheat to poor people at `3 and `2 per kg from the beginning of new fiscal.
Termed as ‘people’s Budget’ by the Finance Minister, the Gujarat Government tried to give emphasis on education and health sectors.
In the proposed budget of `1,51,852 crore, with `245 crore overall surplus and `3236 crore of revenue surplus, `40285.52 crore were allocated for social services which is over 42 per cent of the total allocation.
The Anandiben Patel Government has also given adequate focus on agriculture sector as under the head of irrigation and flood control, where the allocation has been made to the tune of `14294.20 crore, which is almost 17 per cent the annual development plan (`85,555.78 crore).
Under the head of social services, the Finance Minister covered important services including primary health services, education, drinking water, housing, nutrition, cleanliness, welfare of schedule caste, schedule tribes, socially and educationally backward, woman and child development. Interestingly compared to previous year the State Government allotted around 1,800 crore more on social services.
Addressing a press-conference after presenting budget in the House, Finance Minister Saurabh Patel said that the State Government was committed to increase the income of people and would work for creating conducive climate. The state government tried to give priority to social sector in order to improve human development index in Gujarat, said Patel.
`1000 crore has been allotted to Mukhya Mantri Swavalamban Yojana, which was launched last year after Maha Kranti Rally of agitating Patidars who are demanding reservation under OBC category in Government jobs and educational institutions. Declaring the year as Youth Development Year, Patel said that the State Government would create 66,000 Government jobs in the State in the next one year. The budget also kept provision of `2,500 for Mukhya Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna for strengthening road network in rural Gujarat.
Another feature of the budget is ‘Smart Village’ scheme. The State Government has decided to develop 300 villages in the State as smart village. Explaining about the scheme the Finance Minister said that the State Government would select villages in a transparent and independent competition to make all 300 selected villages self-reliant, clean, crime-free, disease free and economically sound.
“We have made provision of `185 crore to provide special assistance to all the 300 smart villages,” he said, adding that the provision of `375 crore has been made to provide interest relief to the farmers under which interest on kharif crop loan up to `3 lakh will be only 1 per cent. As a result of it 38 lakh farmers would be benefitted, he claimed.