Madhya Pradesh budget on Feb 27

Election-bound Madhya Pradesh is expected to have a people-friendly budget with the state government already announcing a slew of sops for various sectors besides unveiling schemes in power generation, housing, roads, tourism and drinking water.

State Finance Minister Raghavji will present his fifth Budget in a row on February 27. The key annual document is expected to lay emphasis on social sectors.

A highly placed source said the Budget for 2008-09 was likely to witness considerable hike in allocation of funds in education, health and chief minister's schemes like Ladli Yojana for girls and Mazdoor Suraksha Yojana.

"Like gender budgeting last year, this year's budget will have an off-budget presentation as a special feature," the source said.

"It would be for the first time that off-budget figures would be presented in the House," the source said. Off-budget was the fund received directly from the Centre by a state for health sector and welfare schemes for women, the girl child and tribals, among others, the source added.

Off-budget would reflect the spending by respective departments against the fund received. The Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led government has announced a number of concessions for farmers. These include waiving 50 per cent of their electricity bills, penalties on unpaid bills and offering enhanced remunerative prices for wheat.

Sources indicated the government employees' welfare would be a priority under the Budget, which would also signal how the finance minister is going to mobilise Rs 5,600 crore to implement the chief minister's scheme announced for farmers at the Kisan Mahapanchayat last week.

Though the bottomline of the Budget will be "welfare for all", Raghavji is expected to follow the suggestions made by former chief minister Sunderlal Patwa-led panel to regain confidence of various sections of society in the state, where polls are due in December.

The sops for farmers were part of the Patwa panel's suggestions, some of which relate to tribals, unorganised sector, small traders and businessmen, and senior citizens among others.

The state finance minister, as suggested by the panel, may initiate steps to revive sick industries and announce concessions for business community, the sources said.

Raghavji is likely to announce a comprehensive road map for the tourism industry.

As part of its initiatives to boost tourism, the state government was considering handing over eight airports "" Khargone, Rewa, Jhabua, Guna, Ratlam, Shivpuri, Sagar and Ujjain "" managed by it to private players, he said.