Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal today presented the state budget for the financial year 2021-22 in the state assembly. The size of the budget was Rs 1, 68,015 crore, and was termed a zero-deficit Budget by the finance minister claiming that it has been prepared as per the present resources with the state government.
As the nation is today celebrating the International Women’s Day, therefore, giving special recognition to women’s of the Punjanb, Manpreet Badal announced free travel facilities for women in state-run buses besides a considerable hike of Rs 30,000 under the Punjab Ashirwad Scheme. He also announced an increase in old age pension from Rs. 750 to Rs. 1500.
Manpreet Badal said that the “Budgets are not just a collection of numbers, but an expression of our values and aspirations. This budget is a reflection of the values of our Government, and the aspirations of all Punjabi’s, whether they continue to live in this historic land or are a part of our large diaspora”.
He said that the determined steps taken by the present government to bring a turnaround in the fiscal situation and to bring the State economy back on its track. The macro-economic parameter of an economy’s growth, reflective of impact of Government’s policies, GSDP, has grown, on an average, at the rate of 10.43% over the past 3 years (2017-18 to 2019-2020) against an average growth rate of 8.87% during the last 3 years (2014-15 to 2016-2017) of the previous Government.
“The State GSDP, in absolute numbers, has increased from Rs. 4,26,988 crore in 2016-17 to Rs. 6,07,594 crore in 2021-22 BE, i.e. an increase of 42.30% over 2016-17. Further, the Per Capita Income of the State has increased from Rs. 1, 28,780 in 2016-17 to Rs. 1,66,830 in 2019-20 which is 24.29% higher than the national average of Rs. 1,34,226”, he said.
Meanwhile, the opposition parties have termed the budget an election manifesto to lure voters in the state. They said that the announcements sounds good but are only useful if implemented in true spirit.
Budget Highlights
· Eight new maternal and child health wings will be set up in subdivisional hospitals at Talwandi Sabo, Nabha, Patti, Dera Bassi Muktsar, Gurdaspur, Bhawanigarh, and Raikot.
· An allocation of Rs. 92 crore has been proposed in budget 2021-22 for upgradation of the infrastructure of Government Medical College Patiala.
· Two new medical colleges in Gurdaspur and Malerkotla will be setup post approval of Government of India. Besides, new medical college and Hospital namely Sri Guru Nanak Dev State Institute of Medical Sciences at Kapurthala and Shaheed Udham Singh State Institute of Medical Sciences at Hoshiarpur with a total expenditure of Rs. 650 crore and an initial allocation of Rs. 80 crore have been proposed in the Budget 2021-22.
· A unit of Tata Memorial Hospital, named Homi Bhabha Cancer Hospital and Research Centre (HBCHRC) at Mullanpur, Mohali is going to be completed with a cost of Rs. 450 crore and is likely to be operational from July, 2021 and the work for construction of State Cancer Institute, Amritsar at a cost of Rs. 39 crore and Tertiary Cancer Care Centre (TCCC) Fazilka at a cost of Rs. 16 crore are in progress.
· Trauma Centre is being established at Government Medical College (GMC) Patiala, GMC Amritsar and GGSMC Faridkot at total cost of Rs. 42 crore, Rs. 93 crore and Rs. 12 crore, respectively.
· An allocation of Rs. 2,148 crore has been provided during 2021-22 to achieve the targets of piped water supply and potable water for all.
· All students studying in government colleges will be allowed free travel in government-run buses.
· Rs 100 crore worth museum on Baba Sahib Ambedkar to be established in Kapurthala, besides Rs 150 crore has been proposed for the Punjab Innovation fund.
· The Government will be waiving off the loans to the extent of Rs. 1,186 crore of 1.13 lakh farmers and Rs. 526 crore of landless farm workers in the next phase during 2021-22, for which necessary allocation of Rs. 1,712 crore has been proposed. Besides, mobile vending carts to be provided to farmers.
· Rs 7,180 crore to go as a free power subsidy for farmers and new scheme for monitoring water quality for arsenic-affected villages was announced.
· Government proposed to launch a new umbrella program “Kamyaab Kisan Khushaal Punjab” (K3P) during 2021-22, with an outlay of Rs. 3,780 crore to be implemented during the next three years.
· A centre of excellence for vegetables at Village Gobindgarh in district 30 Fazilka at a cost of Rs.10 crore.
· An outlay of Rs. 11,861 crore has been earmarked for School Education for the year 2021-22. Besides, an outlay of Rs. 140 crore proposed for promoting digital education in 2021-22.
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· Freedom fighters pension to be increased from Rs 7,500 to Rs 9,500.
· 15th Finance Commission presented Punjab’s case well and increased devolution by 0.23 percent. This will translate Rs 1500 crore additional devolutions in 2021.
· The Budget for social sector expenditure increased from Rs 2,320 crore to Rs 4,000 crore.
· Punjab Sahit Ratan award money increased from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 20 lakh.
· Pension of Punjabi writers increased from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000.
· A post-graduate institute of horticulture research to be set up in Amritsar.
· Rs 100 crore announced for up-gradation of Government Colleges; Rs 1064 crore allocated for GNDU, Punjabi University, PAU, Rajiv Gandhi National Law University.
· 29 new schemes for canal systems; Rs 897 crore proposed for the same.
· Punjab Sugarcane Research Development Institute to be set up in Kalanaur; Gurdaspur and Batala sugar mills to be enhanced; while Rs 300 crore to be set aside for buying sugarcane.
· Rs 750 crore set aside for giving scholarships to 2 lakh students under Post Matric Scholarship scheme.
· Vacancies to be filled in state government jobs, 48,989 posts in the government to be filled in the first phase, against 1 lakh vacancies.
· Seven hostels to be established for working women in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Patiala, Mohali, Mansa and Bathinda.
· 250 schools to be upgraded, Rs 100 cr for smartphones for 12th class students.