Gogoi gives 50% power subsidy in bud ahead of polls next year

Taking a leaf from AAP ahead of Assembly elections next year, Congress Chief Minister of Assam Tarun Gogoi today announced a 50 per cent power subsidy to poor families in budget 2015-16 which also has a slew of other schemes for them but has no new tax proposal.
Gogoi, who also holds the finance portfolio, earmarked Rs 361.8 crore for providing 50 per cent subsidy to BPL families, benefiting 37,06,736 consumers in the state.
Speaking to reporters after presenting of his last full budget in the Assembly before the elections, Gogoi refuted the opposition charge that it is a populist one and aimed at luring voters and called it a "real economic Budget".

The Aam Admi Party (AAP) had promised to slash power bills by 50 per cent in its Delhi elections manifesto. Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP trounced BJP in Delhi assembly polls, winning 67 of 70 seats. The new Delhi government gives a 50 per cent subsidy on monthly power consumption of up to 400 units.
"As I said I do not intend to impose any burden on the common man. I am not proposing any substantial increase in taxes. But my government would create a state-of-the art IT- enabled taxation system with online tax compliance facilities so as to ensure minimum contact between tax payers and the tax collecting officials," Gogoi said in his Budget speech.

By doing so alone, the government will be able to arrest the leakage and raise the tax collection by 4-5 per cent, which will be about Rs 350 crore in 2015-16, he added.

He also proposed a financial assistance of Rs 25,000 each for construction of one lakh houses for homeless.
"An amount of Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for the year 2015-16 for distribution of yarn and blankets among the poor weavers under the Chief Minister's Special Programme," he added.
Gogoi proposed a financial assistance of Rs 10,000 each to BPL families for conducting marriages of daughters in those families under 'Nabuari' scheme.

Gogoi proposed a financial assistance of Rs 10,000 each to BPL families for conducting marriages of their daughters under 'Nabuari' scheme.
"My government will further extend financial of Rs 10,000 each to unmarried women of age between 40 to 60 years under the 'Baideo' scheme," he said, adding Rs 10,000 will be given to 200 widows in each LAC.
Besides, Rs 10,000 will be given to one lakh women self-help groups for taking up income generating activities.
The chief minister proposed to provide old age pension to one lakh people, who are not covered under Central Government Old Age Pension scheme.

Gogoi proposed to bear 50 per cent of the interest by the government on bank loan for students aiming to go for higher education, besides planning to provide solar lamps to two lakh students across the state.