Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly passes annual budget

The Rs 37,573 crore annual budget for the financial year 2012-12 was passed in the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly (CLA) Friday evening as the Appropriation Bill moved by the government was adopted with voice vote.

The Chhattisgarh Budget for the fiscal 2012-13 was up by 15 per cent at Rs 37,573.61 crore as compared to last year’s annual budget outlay of Rs 32,747.46 crore.

The appropriation bill was moved by Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh, who also holds the finance portfolio. During discussion, the opposition members opposed giving nod to the budget proposals of the state government for spending in the financial year 2012-12.

 

While replying on the bill, Singh announced a 14 per cent Dearness Allowance (DA) for its employees to be paid in two installed with effect from April 1, 2012 and July 1, 2012. The honorarium of the Shiksha Karmis (contract teachers) has also been increased by Rs 2500 to Rs 3000.

Singh however lashed out at the opposition members for alleging that the state government was working in the interest of corporate and was disposing off state’s mineral resources. “If an investment comes, it has to be provided water, land, raw material etc,” Singh said, adding that one cannot think of a company setting up a plant here in Chhattisgarh and shipping iron-ore from abroad.

As far as the water use for the industrial purpose was concerned, Singh said, the state government had ensured that water reserved for irrigation would not be used for industry. “We are only trapping water following into the sea by constructing barrages and using the water that was going waste for other purposes including for industry,” Singh clarified.

Earlier, leader of opposition Ravindra Choubey said that the flow of money was not going in the right direction as remote areas still strived of proper health and education facilities. “The government was allotting water for the industries even before signing any agreement,” Choubey said.