The budget of Chhattisgarh for the year 2021-22 seemed focused on farming, education, health and infrastructure sector with provisions made for ongoing and new schemes and projects.
The COVID-19 pandemic effect was visible as the budget estimated Rs 3,702 crores revenue deficit. In 2020-21, revenue surplus of Rs 2,431 crores had been estimated. No new tax proposals have been made.
The total budget size for 2021-22, presented by Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel who also holds the finance portfolio, is Rs 97,106 crores while the estimate of 2020-21 was at Rs 95,650 crores, a finance department press communiqué showed.
The fiscal deficit is, however, estimated at 17,461 crores, which is 4.56 per cent of State's gross domestic product. In 2020-21, the fiscal deficit was at Rs 11,518 crores, about 3.18 per cent of state GDP.
While the chief minister called the budget as the one slated to take the state to newer heights under the mantra of ‘Garhbo Nava Chhattisgarh’ (Build New Chhattisgarh), the opposition attacked the government for presenting a reducing budget for the first time in 20 years.
Leader of opposition Dharamlal Kaushik said that with the reducing budget, the state is only set to move backwards in all spheres. Ex-chief minister Raman Singh said that the budget lacked any original thought and seemed based on framework of central government schemes. He said that the government seemed to have totally forgotten its election manifesto as no steps have been taken for fulfilling any promises.
A government communiqué said that the budget ensures the prosperity of farmers and economically weaker sections of the state, economic progress of villages, new dimensions of quality and progress in education, expansion of health and medical facilities, welfare of scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and backward classes, holistic development of women and children, creation of new opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship for the youth, rapid development of rural and urban infrastructure and a feel of sensitive administration for the people: with this, it is dedicated to the people of the state.
The note said that the state's gross domestic product (GSDP), at current prices, is estimated to increase from Rs 3,44,955 crores in the year 2019-20 to 3,50,270 crore in 2020-21, which is 1.54 per cent more than previous year. State's gross domestic product is much better compared to a decline of (-) 7.7 percent at national level.
The per capita income is estimated at Rs 1,04,943 in year 2020-21 as compared to 1,05,089 in 2019-20, which is only 0.14 percent lesser to previous year. The national level per capita income, during same period, is projected to decline by 5.41 per cent, the note said.
Major announcements
Among the major announcements included setting up of a special police force called Bastar Tigers for all districts of Bastar division. It will prioritise youth from Maoist affected areas for recruitment.
Rural industrial parks will be set to promote rural products; fisheries will be given status of agriculture; setting up for four development boards to promote traditional rural vocational skills like oil milling, leather work, iron smelting and others.
Landless agriculture labourers are to be given benefits of the Rajiv Gandhi Nyay Scheme; Rs five lakh assistance to families of journalists losing life in accidents; Rs 5000 assistance to women on birth of second girl child through a new scheme and setting up of a cultural complex in Raipur on the lines of Bharat Bhavan in Bhopal.
The government will set up new 119 English medium schools, seven new colleges and three new girls’ colleges; construct 12 new railway over bridges, 151 bridges and 585 new roads. Apart from this 104 roads and 116 bridges will be constructed in Naxal-hit areas. Also 11 new tehsils will be constituted.
The honorarium for female sanitation workers (swachhta didis) has been hiked from Rs 5000 to Rs 6000; Rs 300 crores has been allotted for buildings of new medical colleges in Kanker, Korba and Mahasamund, while hospitals of 30 beds each will be set up in community health centres of Sanna, Jashpur, Sheorinarayan, Janjgir and Risali in Bhilai.
Rs 5703 crores has been allotted for the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Scheme, Rs 2500 crores for the Krishak Jeevan Jyoti Scheme (subsidized power for agriculture pumps), Rs 5900 crores for short-term interest-free loan to farmers and so on.
