Jolted by the recent lok Sabha election results, the Samajwadi Party Government shelved its populist free laptop and unemployment allowance schemes to focus on bijli, sadak and paani in its Budget for the current fiscal that was presented in the State Assembly on Friday.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented a tax-free but deficit Budget that focuses on construction of new roads, more power plants and building of infrastructure in rural and urban areas.
“The highlight of this year’s Budget is that the Samajwadi Party Government will focus more on building infrastructure so that more and more people avail of the benefits of government projects. Over 75 per cent of plan expenditure will be for development of agriculture, farmers and rural areas,” Yadav told reporters in his post-Budget Press conference here.
The other highlight, which the Chief Minister did not mention, is scrapping of schemes like laptop distribution to class XII pass students, unemployment allowance, free saree distribution, Hamari Beti Uska Kal and Kanya Vidya Dhan. Up to now, all these schemes were the USP for the Samajwadi Party Government and the ruling party’s lok Sabha campaign had revolved around them. Akhilesh Yadav and his father Mulayam Singh Yadav spoke at length how painstakingly the Samajwadi Party Government had carried forward these projects. The Chief Minister had even said that many neighbouring States had copied these schemes and implemented them.
But on Friday, the Chief Minister gave these schemes a silent burial because they did not pay political dividends in the election. A minister had earlier hinted at the possibility of scrapping these schemes by saying that “when the people have not given us votes, why should we give them money and laptopsIJ
The Chief Minister, however, gave a different explanation. “We are focusing on building infrastructure. The laptops and unemployment allowance had helped a small section of society. Now, we are thinking big. Instead of unemployment allowance, the Government has introduced the Samajwadi Pension Scheme which will help families living below poverty line. The Government has sanctioned Rs2,424 crore for this scheme,” he said.
“My Government will focus on e-books and e-libraries and this will help students reach a larger audience,” Yadav said, trying to justify his Government’s decision.
The Chief Minister presented a Rs4,132 crore deficit Budget with expenditure of Rs2,74,705 crore and income of just Rs2,70,573 crore. The size of the Budget pegged for 2014-15 is Rs2,74,704.59 crore, which is 24 per cent higher than the previous one.
“Adequate arrangements of resources have been made for financing a Budget of this size, include 17 per cent increase in state’s tax,” Yadav said.
The Government has introduced new schemes like Sabke liya Awas Yojana under which 52,000 houses and plots would be developed in cities to meet the demand of house and the Ram Saran Das Gram Sadak Yojana under which link roads would be constructed in villages. Rs50 crore has been earmarked for this project.
The Budget reflects the recent incidents that rocked the state as the Government has sanctioned Rs359 crore for construction of toilets in village houses. This decision, has probably been influenced by the Badaun gan grape incident in which two cousins were killed when they went out to relieve themselves.
Besides, the Government has made a provision of Rs12,400 crore for augmenting police force, strengthening its mobilisation and for its modernisation to further reinforce law and order in the state.
“This Budget includes new schemes worth Rs20,957.47 crore. Besides, a provision of Rs95 crore has been made for National Crop Insurance Scheme,” Yadav said.
In the infrastructure sector, the Government has allocated Rs49,108 crore, about 82 per cent more than the previous years, for strengthening and upkeep of infrastructure facilities like roads and bridges, and development of irrigation and power supply.
Besides, Rs2,593 crore is proposed for works under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana under which a target has been set to upgrade 3,000 kms of road in the second phase of the scheme.
“A provision of Rs1,500 crore has been made under lohia Gramin Vikas Yojana and over Rs800 crore has been earmarked for construction of link roads for unlinked habitats selected under Ram Manohar lohia Yojana,” the Chief Minister said.
The state Government has made a provision of Rs23,928 crore for power projects to refurbish the power sector and has also made an allocation of Rs1,000 crore for accelerated economic development programme.
“The Government has increased budget for health, education and agriculture sectors by almost 20 per cent. In all, it is a progressive Budget which will take the state ahead on the path of progress,” the Chief Minister said.