On March 6, 2023, the Chief Minister (CM) of Chhattisgarh Bhupesh Baghel presented Rs 1,21,501 crore state budget for FY24 in its State Assembly in Raipur. It was the 5th and the last budget of this term as the state is scheduled for Assembly Elections in 2023.
- It is Rs 15,200 crore deficit budget where Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is projected at 8%.
- It is termed as ‘Bharose ka budget’ with a motto of ‘Gadbo Nava Chhattisgarh’.
Point to be noted:
i.CM Bhupesh Baghel’s briefcase, which contained the Budget documents, featured Chhattisgarhi art graffiti of the state’s icons, Mahatari and Kamdhenu, created using ‘gobar’ (cow dung) paint from urban Gauthan. The other side of the briefcase had an embossed image of Ma Kamdhenu.
ii.The focus of the FY24 budget is on promoting prosperity and growth in the state, particularly in the agricultural and rural sectors, in line with the goals of the ‘Chhattisgarh Model.’
iii.The highest allocation of 16.1% is provided for education with more than Rs 19,000 crore to the school education department while Rs 10,379 crore budgeted for panchayat and rural development and Rs 10,070 crore for agriculture.
Note – No new taxes have been announced under the state budget.
Highlights from Budget:
i.A provision of Rs 6,800 crore for the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana has been made to make Chhattisgarh, which is famously known as ‘Dhaan Ka Katora” (bowl of grains), as the ‘Dhan Ka Katora’ (bowl of money).
ii.An unemployment allowance of Rs 2500 will be given to unemployed youth aged 18 to 35 years, who have passed Class 12, with an annual family income of less than Rs 2.5 lakh.
- Chhattisgarh has become the first state to give out unemployment allowance despite having the least unemployment rate of (0.1%) in India.
- Rs 25 crore has been allocated for “Naveen Yojana” to support unemployed youth.
iii.The monthly allowance of Anganwadi workers has been increased to Rs 10,000 from Rs 6500, and for sahayika (assistants) it is increased to Rs 5,000 from Rs 3,250.
- Mini-anganwadi workers will be given an honorarium of Rs 7,500 instead of the current Rs 4,500.
iv.The Mukhymantri Kanya Vivah allowance has been increased from Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000.
- A total budget of Rs 38 crore has been allocated for this scheme.
v. To assist journalists, a provision of Rs 50 lakh for interest subvention on housing loans up to Rs 25 lakh under the Journalist Housing Loan Grant Scheme for the construction of townhouses has been announced.
vi.A corpus of Rs 12 crore has been allocated for organizing the International Ramayana festival and Rs 2 crore has been allocated for Ram Van Gaman Path Paripath.
vii.The scholarship amount given to SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe) and OBC (Other Backward Class) students studying in hostels, ashrams and Prayas schools, has been increased from Rs. 1,000 per month to Rs. 1,500 per month.
viii.A provision of Rs 1,000 crores for various infrastructure construction works in Urban Areas was announced
ix.A provision of Rs 200 crore was for the establishment of four new medical colleges in Manendragarh, Geedam, Janjgir Champa and Kabirdham districts while Rs 870 crore was allocated for opening new 101 Swami Aatmanand English Medium Schools.
x.The establishment of a new thermal power plant worth Rs 25 crore provisioned in the budget in Korba West.
xi.The budget has also proposed setting up new cyber police stations in the state’s major cities of Raipur, Bilaspur and Durg and a provision of five cyber police stations at range headquarters.
xii.It also proposed to construct a smart police station at Kumari in Durg district and a women’s police station building in the tribal Dantewada district.
xiii.The Samajik Suraksha Pension Yojana pension amount for elders, widows, and the specially-abled has been raised from Rs 300 to Rs 500.
Recent Related News:
i.On 6th January 2023, Bhupesh Baghel, Chief Minister (CM) of Chhattisgarh, celebrated the
traditional Cherchera festival, an important harvest festival of Chhattisgarh which is popularly known as the “Rice bowl of India”, at Dudhadhari Math in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.
ii.The Chhattisgarh Government announced the constitution of Chhattisgarh State Innovation Commission with an aim to promote innovation for the development of the state.
About Chhattisgarh:
Governor – Biswabhusan Harichandan
National Parks – Guru Ghasidas National Park, Kanger Valley National Park
Wildlife Sanctuaries – Bhoramdeo Sanctuary, Tamor Pingla Sanctuary
