Rajasthan govt presents Budget 2022-23; focus on employment, healthcare & agriculture

The assembly elections in Rajasthan are around 19 months away, however, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s three-hour marathon budget speech was full of election flavour.

Gehlot, who presented his fourth budget on Wednesday, has not imposed any new tax and rather has given a relief of about Rs 1,500 crores to the state. In addition to this, he made some big announcements such as an urban employment guarantee scheme on the lines of MGNERGA, free electricity on consumption up to 50 units, smartphones to 1.33 crore women with internet connectivity of three years.

The CM has also revoked the old pension scheme for government employees. Gehlot also presented a separate agriculture budget of Rs 78,000 crores for the agriculture sector.

While presenting the Budget for the next financial year, Gehlot said, "Though we have faced hardships due to Covid, we have fulfilled around 85 per cent of the budget announcements of last year. With good financial management, we will defiantly be able to implement this year’s announcements in time. Even opposition will have to appreciate this budget."

Gehlot is known to present populist budgets and it was evident in this year’s budget as well. Despite financial constraints, he made announcements for all major sections of the society such as farmers, women, youth, government employees, Dalits and the poor.

Gehlot even revoked the old pension scheme for government employees that was implemented by his own party led UPA government in 2004.

The focus areas of budget were agriculture, medical and health and investment promotion.

Even after this, criticizing the presented budget, deputy leader of opposition Rajendra Rathore said that the fanciful announcements in the budget are deceit to seven and half crore people of the state. The government could not present any concrete action plan to bring the state’s shaky economy back on track, he added.

Major announcements of Rajasthan state Budget 2022-23:

- Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Scheme.

- 125 days employment in MGNERGA.

- Smartphones to 1.33 crore women registered under Chiranjivi Yojna.

- Rajasthan Guaranteed Service Delivery and Accountability Act to be enacted.

- Free electricity consumption up to 50 units and subsidy up to Rs 3 per unit on consumption up to 300 units

- Rs 10 lacs annual medical insurance cover for all.

- Cashless OPD and IPD treatment in government hospitals

- Free accidental insurance cover up to Rs 5 lac.

- Separate cadre for English medium teachers.

- 1 lac new government jobs.

- Anti cheating cell in Police

- Work from Home scheme for women.

- SC-ST development fund increased up to Rs 500 crore

- Tourism sector has now got the status of Industry in the state.

- Cyber police stations in all districts.

- 11 missions for agriculture development.

- Interest-free crop loans of Rs 20,000 crore to 5 lac new farmers

Published on: Wednesday, February 23, 2022, 04:03 PM IST