Rajasthan budget development-oriented, gives relief to common man: Pilot

Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Wednesday described Rajasthan's budget for the year 2022-23 as development-oriented and said the state government has given relief to the common man.

He said despite the BJP-led central government not releasing Rajasthan's share of funds in time during the COVID-19 pandemic, the state's Congress dispensation has made public welfare announcements.

Earlier, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot presented the budget in the Rajasthan Assembly with the main focus on health, education, infrastructure and tourism sectors and social security.

In a statement, Pilot welcomed the budget's provisions for reducing the burden of electricity bills, increasing subsidy for milk producers and implementing the old pension scheme for state employees, and termed it development-oriented.

The former deputy chief minister said before the 2018 Rajasthan Assembly polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had given an assurance that the East Rajasthan Canal Project will be declared a national project, but it was never done.

The proposal of the Congress government to form a corporation for the project is a commendable step, he said.

During the almost three-hour budget speech, Gehlot announced the launch of the Indira Gandhi Urban Employment Guarantee Scheme to provide 100 days of employment in urban areas.

Another major announcement in the budget was that all employees appointed on or after January 1, 2004, will be covered under the old pension scheme from next year.

In the state's first separate agriculture budget, Gehlot announced an allocation of Rs 5,000 crore for 'Rajasthan Mukhya Mantri Krishak Saathi Yojana', up from Rs 2,000 crore in the last budget.

He also proposed Rs 2,700 crore for the Rajasthan Micro Irrigation Mission, under which 5 lakh farmers will be benefitted, and announced an increase in the number of employment days under MGNREGA to 125 from 100.