Chhattisgarh, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand have presented their state budgets for the year 2014-15. Chhattisgarh has presented the budget estimate of Rs.54,710 crore for the fiscal 2014-15 with special emphasis on strengthening of human resources, specially the marginalized sections of society and prosperity of farmers which will lead to better development of the State.Himachal Pradesh has proposed a plan size of Rs. 4,400 Crore the year 2014-15 as compared to Rs 4,100 Crore in 2013-14. Uttarakhand has presented budget estimates of 2014-15 showing a revenue surplus of Rs 682.43 crore. The budget has given special emphasis on disaster management and women empowerment in the state.
Snapshot of Himachal Pradesh budget 2014-15
The budget has proposed an allocation of Rs 384 Crore for agriculture sector. The budget proposed to cover an additional 4 Thousand Hectare area under off-season vegetables during the year 2014-15. Rs 55 Crore has been allocated for this purpose. ‘Dr. Y.S. Parmar Kisan Swarozgar Yojana’ has been proposed from the next financial year with an outlay of Rs 100 Crore for achieving a target of constructing 4,700 poly-houses covering 8.30 Lakh square meter area. In order to drive new investment in the State an ‘HP Investment Promotion Cell’ has been proposed to be set up in the Department of Industries. New ‘State of the Art’ industrial area at Pandoga in District Una and Kandrori in District Kangra will be developed with an investment of Rs 219 Crore. The Electricity Duty for the specified Extra High Tension (EHT) category consumers will be reduced from existing 17% to 15%. Moreover, any new Medium and Large Industrial Unit will be required to pay only 5% electricity duty in place of proposed 13% for five years. Similarly, for any existing Small Industry, budget has proposed to reduce the electricity duty from existing 9% to 7% and any new Small Industry will be required to pay only 2% electricity duty for five years. A total budget outlay of Rs 985 crore has been proposed for the MPP and power department during 2014-15.A total outlay of Rs 2384 crore has been proposed for the Public Works Department during 2014-15. State has fixed a target for construction of 450 km. of motorable road, 40 km of Jeepable road and 30 bridges. Budget has proposed to allocate Rs 4,282 Crore for education for the year 2014-15. State budget has announced to provide Net Books (Lap-Tops) to 7,500 meritorious students of Class 10th and 12th in 2014-15 under ‘Rajiv Gandhi Digital Yojana’. Further, thebudget has proposed a sum of Rs 100 Crore for the skill development initiative in the State in 2014-15. It proposes to cover 80,000 youths for skilling in next financial year. There has been a proposal to upgrade the skills of building and other construction workers by allocating 20% of the Cess amount for skilling activities.
Snapshot of Chhattisgarh budget 2014-15
Chhattisgarh presented a budget estimate of Rs 54710 crore for the fiscal year 2014-15, with its focus on eradicating poverty, hunger and malnutrition. With an estimated growth of 15% in tax revenue and 6% in non- tax revenue, the revenue surplus is estimated at Rs.2,464 crore which will be used for capital expenditure. The estimated expenditure is 23% higher than the revised estimate of 2013-14. Gross Fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs.5,761 crore. The total plan outlay estimated at Rs.35,322 crore is 65% of total budget outlay.A provision of Rs 8,459 crore has been made for the agriculture and allied sectors. The outlay includes Rs 4,102 crore for agriculture and horticulture, Rs 422 crore for veterinary, Rs 288 crore for cooperatives, Rs 1987 crore for irrigation and Rs 458 crore for agricultural pumps. In order to strengthen industrial development in the state, Rs 110 crore has been allocated for remodelling and lining in Mahanadi project. With a view to make small and medium scale iron & steel industries competitive, Central Sales Tax will be reduced from 2% to 1% on goods manufactured by them. The total outlay for social sector is Rs 20,851 crore. This includes 12% for school education, 8% for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe development, 5% for health and 3% for women and child development. Further, in the move to boosting educational developments in the state, budget proposed free education to girl students of government colleges upto graduation, 27 livelihood colleges will be set up in all the districts to train the youth and enable them to get employment. Further, provision of Rs 69 crore has been made.
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Snapshot of Uttarakhand budget 2014-15
The total expenditure for 2014-15 in Uttarakhand is estimated to be Rs 30353.78 crore, showing an increase of 19.83% over last year. Non-plan expenditure this fiscal is estimated to be Rs 18676.55 crore while the plan expenditure is estimated to be Rs 11677.23 crore, showing a rise of 34.06%. Budget estimates show a revenue surplus of Rs. 682.43 crore for 2014-15. The state has presented a Gender budget, by way of 100% women centric schemes to ensure women empowerment in the state. Provision of Rs.1693.48 crore has been made for disaster management & disaster reconstruction works. A new initiative has been provided by way of keeping lumpsum budget provision for each district under district plan. To encourage industrial development, facility has been provided to traders to get form 'C' directly from the departmental website. The monetary limit of form 11 has been removed and assessment of luxury tax has been made annual in place of half yearly. Incentive will be provided to fodder, fruit production and fruit industry in hill districts to strengthen hill economy. In order to strengthen the state infrastructure, roads in the manner of state high ways will be constructed in major and minor river valleys. Further, on the agri front, joint venture will be established for horticulture and marketing of fruits etc. Cluster based agriculture will be incentivized in the state. Nurseries will be established for replacement of seed germinated fruits plantation to grafting based plantation. 10% additional gratuitous relief from CM relief fund will be provided to disaster affected sugar cane growers.
