Chhattisgarh finance minister OP Choudhary on Friday presented a budget of Rs 1.47 trillion for 2024-25, with no additional taxes being imposed on the state.
For FY25, the gross fiscal deficit of the state is estimated to be Rs 19,696 crore which includes Rs 3,400 crore of special assistance for capital expenditure by the Union government. The net fiscal deficit is estimated at Rs 16,296 crore, which is 2.90% of gross state domestic product (GSDP).
“This is within the limit of 3% set in the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act”, Choudhar said.
The capital expenditures for next fiscal is to be around Rs 22,300 crore. The state’s own revenue is estimated to increase by 22% without imposing any new taxes.
Speaking about the ‘Amritkaal: Chhattisgarh vision @2047’ document, he said the first mid-term goal for achieving the vision under it shall be doubling the GSDP in the next five years from Rs 5 trillion to Rs 10 trillion 2028.
In the budget a provision of Rs 500 crore has been made for Deendayal Upadhyay Bhoomiheen Krishi Majdoor Yojana under which landless labourers will be provided annual assistance of Rs 10,000, up from Rs 7,000 last year, he said.
The minister said a provision Rs 8,369 crore has been made in the budget for the construction of 18 lakhs houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Rs 10,000 crore under Krishak Unnati Yojana for strengthening small and medium farmers and Rs 4,500 crore for Jal Jeevan Mission.
“A provision of Rs 3,000 crore has been made for Mahtari Vandan Yojana to make women of the state self-reliant (under which Rs 1000 per month will be given to married women).
An initiative for citizens for Shri Ram Lalla Darshan (visiting Ayodha Dham) has been proposed with a budgetary amount of Rs 35 crore.
“The budget is focused on the economic development of – GYAN – gareeb (poor), yuva (youth), annadata (farmers) and naari (woman), stimulating infrastructure growth by increasing capital expenditure, as well as employment and livelihood promotion for youth,” Choudhary said.