Rajasthan
Gehlot To Present Poll-year Budgettoday, Populism Likely Over Prudence | Jaipur News
JAIPUR: Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will present the last Budget of his current tenure in office on Friday. Being an election year Budget, fiscal prudence and capital expenditure may take a back seat and populist measures are likely to be the main theme.
The CM, who holds the finance portfolio, may focus on youth in the Budget which is to be telecast live to gram panchayats across the state. About 40 lakh people are expected to participate in the live telecast at about 14,400 places.
To woo voters, the government may reach out to the farmers with enhanced pension payouts, expand Indira Rasoi beyond Jaipur to rural areas as well. Farmers are likely to get drones free-of-cost to spray pesticides in the fields and there could be provision to deploy over 3,000 drones.
While it may be tough for the government to cut state taxes on petrol and diesel, one of the highest in the country, the CM may increase the discount on travel in roadways buses.
In order to match the income tax relief announced in the Union Budget, Gehlot may sacrifice some revenue by reducing VAT on automotive fuels.
The CM has already taken the lead in the country by announcing reinstating the old pension scheme. In the Budget, he may go further to include employees of boards, corporations, universities, and other institutions, run with government assistance, in the scheme.
Given that the consumers have already been given relief on electricity bills, there may not be much scope to add further. But it is likely that they may get relaxation on the drinking water front, with a proposal to provide up to 30,000 litres free for domestic consumers.
The city’ sewerage network, which needs a revamp, is likely to get an allocation of Rs 500 crore as demanded by the municipal corporation. Similarly, the government may approve funds for the entire stretch of Line 1 of the Jaipur Metro. Officials are expecting some announcements for Metro’s Line 2, considered as the most important stretch of the network, as well.
While the CM has been vociferous about the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, which requires about Rs 40,000 crore, he may not be able to make any budgetary provision for this. The state has demanded the Centre to declare it as a project of national importance.
The petrochemical zone at Pachpadra is also likely to get some allocation as the Centre has not recognised it and central assistance is unlikely to come for the investment region. So, the state will have to make its own budgetary provision to develop it.
In the past, the real estate sector has been demanding a reduction in stamp duty, which is one of the highest in the country. In the poll year, the CM may yield to their demands.
The CM, who holds the finance portfolio, may focus on youth in the Budget which is to be telecast live to gram panchayats across the state. About 40 lakh people are expected to participate in the live telecast at about 14,400 places.
To woo voters, the government may reach out to the farmers with enhanced pension payouts, expand Indira Rasoi beyond Jaipur to rural areas as well. Farmers are likely to get drones free-of-cost to spray pesticides in the fields and there could be provision to deploy over 3,000 drones.
While it may be tough for the government to cut state taxes on petrol and diesel, one of the highest in the country, the CM may increase the discount on travel in roadways buses.
In order to match the income tax relief announced in the Union Budget, Gehlot may sacrifice some revenue by reducing VAT on automotive fuels.
The CM has already taken the lead in the country by announcing reinstating the old pension scheme. In the Budget, he may go further to include employees of boards, corporations, universities, and other institutions, run with government assistance, in the scheme.
Given that the consumers have already been given relief on electricity bills, there may not be much scope to add further. But it is likely that they may get relaxation on the drinking water front, with a proposal to provide up to 30,000 litres free for domestic consumers.
The city’ sewerage network, which needs a revamp, is likely to get an allocation of Rs 500 crore as demanded by the municipal corporation. Similarly, the government may approve funds for the entire stretch of Line 1 of the Jaipur Metro. Officials are expecting some announcements for Metro’s Line 2, considered as the most important stretch of the network, as well.
While the CM has been vociferous about the Eastern Rajasthan Canal Project, which requires about Rs 40,000 crore, he may not be able to make any budgetary provision for this. The state has demanded the Centre to declare it as a project of national importance.
The petrochemical zone at Pachpadra is also likely to get some allocation as the Centre has not recognised it and central assistance is unlikely to come for the investment region. So, the state will have to make its own budgetary provision to develop it.
In the past, the real estate sector has been demanding a reduction in stamp duty, which is one of the highest in the country. In the poll year, the CM may yield to their demands.
