Unlike the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, the Modi Government in Gujarat on Friday dared to present bold interim Budget and refrained from giving tax relief despite imminent lok Sabha elections.
Gujarat’s Finance Minister Nitin Patel presented a Rs1,20,390-crore vote-on-account Budget for the financial year 2014-15. In the Budget, total revenue receipt was estimated at Rs1,19,527 compared to previous year’s Rs95,440-crores which is 12 per cent increase.
“Due to impending lok Sabha elections, sufficient time is not there to think over the demands of this year. Hence, vote-on-account proposal for a period of four months upto 31st July, 2014 will be presented before the House. The whole year Budget will be presented after the elections by August 2014 end and the House will be able to discuss the demand at that time,” said Patel while presenting a gross surplus Budget of Rs732.53 crore.
He kept the Budget without levying any new tax or giving any relief or benefits to the people. The State Finance Minister highlighted achievements of the Modi Government in the past 13 years and also compared its performance with the UPA Government. Explaining on non-inclusion of new items or service in the vote on account to The Pioneer, Patel said that due to shortage of time to discuss, the Government focused only on provisions for expenditure of recurrent nature and existing plan schemes.
The Government expects to mop up Rs63,068-crore from taxes in the new financial year, while it estimates a non-tax revenue of Rs7,214-crore. The per capita annual income in Gujarat in 2012-13 stood at Rs96,976, compared to the national average of Rs67,839. The per capita income in the country increased at the rate of 9.7 per cent between 2011-12 and 2012-13, while the rate in Gujarat was 11.2 per cent during the same period, Patel said adding, “Under the leadership of Chief Minister Narendra Modi, constantly Budget proposals have been implemented effectively for speedy and inclusive development. Gujarat’s contribution to country’s GDP, which was 5.8 per cent in 2000-01, has increased to 7.32 per cent.”
Meanwhile, welcoming the State Budget presented by his colleague, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said that it would further boost the State’s development journey.