Boost for agriculture, rural development in pre-poll Chhattisgarh budget

Budget outlay set at Rs 831 billion with 29% increase in agriculture sector

With an eye on the state polls later in the year, Chhattisgarh government on Saturday doled out a series of fiscal incentives to boost the agriculture and rural sector.

The state budget with an outlay of Rs 831.79 billion for the fiscal 2018-19 has increased the allocation of agriculture sector by 29 per cent at Rs 134.8 billion as compared to the previous year. A provision of Rs 21.07 billion has been made for paddy procurement to benefit about 1.4 million farmers.

The state government will be giving special stress on irrigation infrastructure and has made a provision of Rs