Raman Singh indicates 28% increase in annual plan size

Proposing a growth of 18 per cent in tax revenue and eight per cent in non-tax over current year, revenue surplus of Rs 1348.13 crore has been estimated in the Chhattisgarh's Rs 30,725-crore budget for the financial year 2011-12 with an estimated fiscal deficit of Rs 3819.79 crore.

The budget 2011-12, presented in the state assembly by chief minister Raman Singh today, indicated a 28 per cent increase in state's annual plan size to Rs 17,434 crore. The budget outlay for the fiscal 2011-12 has increased by 24.47 per cent from previous year's Rs 24,685 crore to Rs 30,725 crore.

 

"The budget has been prepared keeping in view the interests of farmers, poor people, workers and scheduled caste, and tribes", Singh said after presenting the Budget. A new food security scheme for people living below poverty would be implemented in Bastar division with a provision of Rs 12 crore to provide one kilogram of gram, he added.

Special stress has been given in the agriculture sector by increasing the budget provision by 44 per cent to Rs 985 crore, Singh said, adding that giving a growth of 20 per cent over current year, the budget estimate, provision of Rs 2123 crore has been made for irrigation sector.

The chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio, said that expansion of rural health service had been given top priority. Rural medical assistance and staff nurses would be posted in all the 741 primary health centres besides creating a post of lady health worker in all sub-health centres of Naxal-infested Bastar division.

The Budget allocation for the power sector had been increased by 27.28 per cent from Rs 397.19 crore to Rs 505.53 crore. Similarly, Budget outlay for Public Works Department had been increased from Rs 1854.81 crore to Rs 2356.95 crore, an increase of 27.07 per cent.

The allocation for economic sector had been increased by 13.29 per cent from Rs 9154.50 crore to Rs 10371.62 crore while allocation for social sector had been increased from Rs 10338.50 crore to Rs 14070.50 crore, an increase by 36.09 per cent. The general sector allocation is up by 21.02 per cent to Rs 6283.83 crore from Rs 5192 crore with outlay of home (police) department increasing by 34.67 per cent from Rs 1140.15 crore to Rs 1535.49 crore.