Raman presents Rs 22,211 cr budget for 2009-2010

     Raipur, February 9, 2009: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh today presented his government’s sixth successive budget of Rs 22,211.10 crore and said all the promises made during the November Assembly election would be fulfilled.

     The BJP government had also not proposed any new taxes on its maiden budget of its second tenure and exempted some of the items from the tax net or to lower tax rate, but the budget deficit is estimated at Rs 1185.23 crore, including this year’s deficit of Rs 286.67 crore and the gross fiscal deficit is expected to cross Rs 2564 crore during that period.

     Singh also said the state is, along with the nation, passing through an economic slowdown and through better management and fiscal administration Chhattisgarh would over come that, apparently saying that the state was likely to undergo a difficult phase in the coming period.

     Continue with his policy to look after the “Gaon Garib aur Kisan” (Village, Poor and Farmers), he said food security has been given the topmost priority in the budget and allotted Rs 1458 crore to provide Re 1 rice and free salt to the poors among other measures for this sector.

     On the education sector, a 40 per cent hike in allocation is another hall mark of this budget. For Education sector Rs 3576 crore is allotted in this budget, which is also 16 per cent of the total outlay of the budget to strengthen the basic infrastructure, he said.

     The social sector as a whole has cornered 45 per cent of the total expenditure, including food security 6.5 per cent of the total budget, 16 per cent on education, four to five per cents on health, SC, ST welfare and Women and Child welfare sectors.

     Sating that his government was determined to combat naxal activities, he said the allotment of the Police Department has been increased by 36 per cent to Rs 941 crore.

     Later talking to reporters the Chief Minister also said the promises made during the November assembly election had been fulfilled. He would not mind also if the new budget would give benefit to his BJP during the coming Lok Sabha election, he added.