Chandigarh: The Finance Minister of Punjab Manpreet Singh Badal presented the budget of Rs 1,29,698 crore in the assembly today. This is the second budget of the Captain led Congress Government. Manpreet said that the state is under the debt of Rs 1,95,975 crore at present, which will be 2,11,523 crore by the end of this year. He said that due to the payment of interest, the expenditure has increased.
Manpreet has assured NRIs that the government will contribute 50 percent to the works initiated related to any infrastructure in their villages in Punjab. He said that the NRIs of Punjab origin will be encouraged to connect with their roots under Friends of Punjab (Chief Minister Garima Gram Yojana) and Connect with Your Roots.
Sukhbir called it directionless budget, opposed professional tax
Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Singh Badal has described this budget of Manpreet Badal as a directionless budget. He said that this budget will be kept in paper only. The Captain Government has not fulfilled any promise till date. This budget is also full of lies to mislead people of Punjab, the case should be registered on Manpreet Badal for showing wrong figures and facts in the budget. former finance minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa said no relief has been given to people of Punjab in the budget by Congress.
Khaira termed it as a paper Budget
The leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira has termed the budget as paper budget, as he said there is no such relief to any sector of Punjab. AAP has also opposed the state government’s move to impose professional tax on all the taxpayer in the state. Khaira said this is an old Akali budget with new label nothing has changed.
Important announcement in Punjab Budget
-There is a provision of 100 crores in the budget for 550th Prakash Purab of Guru Nanak Dev
-Provision of 4,250 crores for the farmer’s debt waiver scheme in the state budget 2018-19
– Rs. 50 crores provision for the smart school in every education block of Punjab
-Cattle feeder to be built with Rs 13 crores in Kapurthala
– Rs 10 crores for National Food Security Mission
– Rs 44 crore for underground ground pipelines
– Rs 55 crore for National Horticulture Mission
– Rs 180 crore for Sugar Cane Growers
-The Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure will be promoted
-The government will bring special projects in agriculture marketing sector Rs 750 crore will be spent on these projects
– Rs 20 crore for Ghar-Ghar Rozgar scheme
– Free books will be given to all students up to class 12 in Punjab
-16 new bus stand to tackle traffic problems
-Smart schools will be built in every block
– Provision of Rs 10 crore for Patiala sports university
– Rs 6256 crore kept for power subsidy to continue free electricity to farmers
– New tax imposed, every taxpayer has to pay Rs 200 per month professional tax
– Salaries and pensions expenditure increased by 13%
– Government expenditure increased from 8,773 crore to 9,469 crore
