Deputy CM and finance minister of Rajasthan Diya Kumari presented the second full Budget of Bhajan Lal government on Wednesday for the FY 25 -26 with provisions like 1.25 lakh government and 1.50 lakh private sector jobs for youth and 5 lakh new domestic and 5000 agriculture electricity connections. The highlight of the Budget is the first Green Budget with an allocation of Rs 27854 crore for various green initiatives.
Presenting the Green Budget, Diya Kumari said," as the country and the world are mandated to achieve Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, I am excited to present the first Green Budget of the state with an allocation of Rs 27854 crore which is 11.34 percent of total scheme expenditure and 5.18 percent of total Budget.
The Green Budget has special focus on Climate Change Adaptation, Forest and Environment – Biodiversity/ Ecology, Sustainable Agriculture, Water Harvesting /Recharge, Sustainable land use, Green Energy, Recycling and Waste Disposal – Circular Economy, Clean Tech Development, Green Audit, Capacity Building–Education, Skilling and Green Funding.
The Green Budget has provisions of adoption of climate change plan, establishment of Centre of Excellence for Climate Change, Plantation of 10 crore trees, Tree Outside Forest (ToFR) Policy and Agro-Forestry Policy and subsidy for 2,50,000 farmers for natural farming.
The budget also provides for water harvesting structures in more than 4,700 villages. GIS based Green Land Use Perspective Plan, a cadre of 25000 Solar Didis, free distribution of Induction Cook Top–Cooking System to one lakh beneficiaries.
While under the Rajasthan Circular Economy Incentive Scheme, the budget has provisions of Rajasthan Vehicle Scrap Policy, establishment of Waste to Wealth Parks and 'Bartan Banks' for providing steel utensils at Gram Panchyats to control the use of plastic.
The other Green initiatives proposed in the Budget are establishment of Clean and Green Technology Development Centre, development of various urban areas as Clean and Green– Eco Cities and Green Aravali Fund of Rs. 250 Cr. to make Aravali ranges green again.
Diya Kumari announced that the government is committed to make the state a $350 billion economy by the year 2030. Shes said the state government has delivered 58 percent of its promises made in the election manifesto and has fulfilled 73 percent of the previous Budget announcements.
Rajasthan CM Bhajan Lal Sharma said, "this is an inclusive and good for all first Green Budget. We'll work to fulfill the promises in time by sending the ministers in field.'
