CM Vasundhara Raje presents state budget; focuses on agriculture, infrastructure and education

Jaipur, February 12: Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje led Rajasthan government on Monday announced the state budget that mainly focuses on poor and farmers, as well as will empower each and every sector including education, agriculture, infrastructure etc. Taking a massive step in a bid to give relief to farmers, CM Vasundhara Raje announced one-time loan waiver of up to Rs 50,000 for small and marginal farmers of the state.

 

Presenting the state budget in the Assembly, CM Vasundhara Raje announced one-time loan waiver of up to Rs 50,000 for small and marginal farmers in the state, which would cost Rs 8,000 crore to the exchequer. CM Raje also announced setting up a farmer loan relief commission where farmers can approach and present their side for getting relief on merit basis.

The chief minister also announced free travel for people above 80 years of age and one attendee on the half fare in the state roadways buses. Also, hike in honorarium to Anganwadi workers, underpass from Ramniwas Garden to Delhi Road for a better traffic management, biogas plants in cow shelters was among other announcements.

However, Congress members led by the leader of opposition Rameshwar Dudi created a ruckus in the house saying it was betrayal with farmers and the complete loan should be waived. Importantly, this was CM Vasundhara Raje’s last budget of her current tenure.

Highlights of the Rajasthan budget 2018:

• Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje announced one-time loan waiver of up to Rs 50,000 for small and marginal farmers in the state, which would cost Rs 8,000 crore to the exchequer.
• Raje also announced setting up a farmer loan relief commission where farmers can approach and present their side for getting relief on merit basis.
• Hike in honorarium to Anganwadi workers.
• Milk will be added in Mid Day meal program.
• Rs 25 lakh allocated for dependents of martyrs.
• Luxury tax and entertainment tax to be given from SGST.
• Interest subsidiary increased for young entrepreneurs from 5% to 6%.
• Subsidised meals under Annapurna scheme will be provided at all collectorate offices.
• Rs 25 lakh home loan will be given to the journalist.
• Rs 151 crore allocated to 17 districts for forest development. 500 foresters will be recruited, while, 2000 forest guard will be recruited.
• 210 new vehicles at a cost of Rs 7.10 crore will be procured for police soon, while 1,161 constables will be recruited for a new battalion of the police department.
• 2000 patwari will be recruited.
• Rs 33.25 crore will be spent on the renovation of 19 historical buildings. A new museum will come up at Bundi. Rs 20 crore allocated to develop Amer Fort as an iconic tourist destination.
• New toilets will be developed on National Highway.
• Rs 55 crore allocated for a tunnel to connect Ajmer-Pushkar.
• 49 new fire tenders will be procured soon.
• Paota, Jaipur will be upgraded into tehsil
• Rs 91 crore will be spent for setting up counterterrorism centre at Sardar Patel Police University in Jodhpur.
• District mineral foundation trust will spend Rs 1000 lakh to build roads, schools and other facilities near mining areas. Rs 150 crore allocated for construction of a flyover in Kota.
• An Ambedkar Bhawan will be constructed at a cost of Rs 80 crore.
• State women employees will get two years childcare leave.
• Bikaner, Ajmer, Churu, Pali and Chittorgarh declared open defecation free.
• An underpass from Ramniwas garden to Delhi road will be built for a better traffic management.
• Biogas plants will be set up in cow shelters.
• 6571 posts will be filled up by December 2018 in the health sector. 5518 health workers will be recruited.
• A new scheme announced which is named after late Bhairon Singh Shekhawat. Under the scheme, Rs 2 Lakh interest free loan will be provided for the self-employed in the unorganized sector. It was a long pending demand of Rajputs.
• Bhairon Singh Shekhawat Swarojgar Antodaya Yojana-- 50,000 families to get up to 50,000 interest-free loans.
• Rs 1 lakh insurance for Bhamasah card holders.Recruitment of 9,000 grade II teachers will be done soon. 77,000 job openings announced in the education department.
• The chief minister, who also holds finance portfolio announced free travel for people above 80 years of age and one attendee on the half fare in the state roadways buses.
• Chief minister announces Rs 25 lakh for player Nagarkoti, who was part of India's under 19 teams. Rs 2 crore sanctioned for upgrading SMS stadium.
• Youth Icon scheme has been announced to promote sports in the state.
• A new railway line will come up in western Rajasthan. The railway line will link Jaisalmer and Barmer, boosting tourism.
• 15 kms of new roads will be constructed in all the 200 assembly constituencies, Vasundhara Raje said. Nearly 21,614 km roads will be constructed in rural areas.
• Experts believe that tourism would get a bigger focus as it can impact village economy by providing livelihood opportunities for a large segment of people in the unorganized sector.
• 1,000 new Annapurna Bhandar will be established.
• Free WiFi facilities will be provided in state universities. Eight new ITIs to be opened in the state.
• Sanitary pads will be distributed in all government schools.
• Driving license and vehicle registration to go paperless.
• Highways and mega-highways to be converted into emergency landing places.
• Rs 6000 crore will be spent to connect Bisalpur dam with the Banas river.