Social sector top priority in Chhattisgarh budget

Giving priority to education, health, food security and availability of pure drinking water in the budget 2010-11, Chhattisgarh government has earmarked about 46 per cent of the state's total expenditure for the social sector.

This sector would help the State achieve the key Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) concerning reduction of poverty and malnutrition, Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh said while presenting the budget estimate of Rs 24,685.43 crore for the fiscal year 2010-11 in the State Assembly today.

Besides Rs 3,922.52 crore have been provided for the education sector, which is 15 per cent of the total budget outlay, the state government has allocated 4 per cent of the total expenditure for the health, 8.5 per cent for food security, 8.6 per cent for Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe welfare and 3.2 per cent for women and child welfare.

With an estimated growth of 12 per cent in tax and 26 per cent in non-tax revenue, Rs 859.78 crore-revenue surplus budget was presented by the chief minister who also holds the finance portfolio.

Total expenditure estimated for 2010-11 is 8.87 per cent higher than the revised estimates of 2009-10. The net budget deficit stands Rs 549.18 crore and taking into account the cumulative deficit, the budget deficit is estimated at Rs 1,031.55 crore.

Singh said the gross fiscal deficit was estimated at Rs 3,180.03 crore, which is 3 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and within the target set under the Chhattisgarh Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act.

With a 12.48 per cent increase in plan expenditure, plan outlay estimated in the budget is Rs 13,599.58 crore, which is 55 per cent of total budget outlay. Singh said 54 per cent of total plan expenditure is earmarked for general area, 33 per cent for tribal sub-plan area and 13 per cent for the scheduled caste sub-plan area.

Non plan expenditure is estimated at Rs 11,086 crore, which is 4.74 per cent more over the current year.

The outlay for capital expenditure stands at Rs 4,067.70 crore, which is 16.5 per cent of total expenditure. The state government has earmarked Rs 1,855 crore for roads, bridges and buildings and Rs 1,762 crore for water resource department.

Reiterating the commitment of his Government to food security, the Chief Minister announced that a budget provision of Rs 1,000 crore has been made for the Chief Minister's Food Assistance Programme that provides rice for Re 1 and Rs 2 to poor people in the state.

The outlay for the agriculture and allied sector has been increased by 22 per cent.