Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Nitin Patel presented a Rs 2,17,287 crore budget for the financial year 2020-21, which is higher by Rs 12,472 crore over the previous Budget in 2019-20.The Budget was prepared keeping in focus the motto of SaunoSath, SaunoVikas and SaunoVisvas. The 8th budget of Government of Gujarat ranks at the top among the leading States of the country.
Note: No new tax was introduced in the budget. The budget mainly focused on agriculture & education.
Focus Areas of the Budget: Gujarat has facilitated Ease of Doing Business under Business Reform Action Plan. Government’s liberal incentive policy has been instrumental for attracting investment to the tune of `344000 cr. only in Gujarat out of the investment of `6,79,000 cr. recorded in India through industrial entrepreneurs’ memorandum as recently announced by Government of India. This forms 51 percent of the total investment. More than 43 percent of the Start Ups of India have been started in Gujarat only.
Provisions made in different sectors
Agriculture
i.Rs 7,423 crore was allocated for agriculture, farmer welfare and cooperation department, out of which Rs 1,000 crore has been allocated for crop loans at 0% to the farmers.
ii.Farmers will be granted Rs 900 per month to encourage cow-based agriculture in organic farming.
iii.Mukhyamantri Pashudhan Sahay Yojna with Rs 200 crore subsidiary was also announced to provide cattle feet at subsidized rates for newborn calves of buffalo or cow.
iv.Dinkar scheme announced a to provide electricity supply during the day time for irrigation for next 3 years.
Education & food
i.Rs 31,955 crore allocated to the education department to convert government schools into ”Schools of Excellence”.
ii.A provision of Rs 7 crore has been made to start a School of Defence Studies at Gujarat University in collaboration with the DRDO for higher education.
iii.Rs 12 crore has been allocated to IITRAM (Institute of Infrastructure Technology Research and Management) to start the Department of Advanced Defence Technology in collaboration with the DRDO.
Note: ‘Mini Anganwadis” will be opened in central jails in major cities.
1st of its kind University in the country named “Gujarat Organic Agricultural University” in Halol, Panchmahal district in central Gujarat will be set up.
Health
i.The Health and Family Welfare Department is allocated Rs 11,243 crore for focusing on malnourishment among children, provisions were also made for the ”Mahila Suposhit Gujarat” scheme for women.
ii.The women and child development department will open ‘Rann Anganwadis’(child care centres) in desert areas for the children of 1,500 salt pan worker families.
iii.‘Ayushman Bharat Yojna’ for 150 new ambulances.
Water
i.Rs 4,317 crore allocated for the clean drinking water .Commitment made for the ‘Nal Se Jal Tak Abhiyan’ in the next two years.
ii.Provisioned Rs 7,220 crore for various schemes under water resources, the Saurashtra Narmada Avtaran Irrigation (SAUNI) Scheme.
Electricity & Park
Rs 500 crore allocated to install substations & transmission line. The world’s largest hybrid energy park is to be set up in Kutch district, which has a capacity to generate 25,000 megawatt of electricity per year at one place by harnessing solar and wind energy.
Other allocations
i.”Madre Vatan” – government will contribute equal amount of donation given by the Gujarat donors for developing various facilities.
ii.Climate change initiatives which include providing a subsidy of ₹40,000 to 800 beneficiaries for purchase of e-rickshaws and 10,000 rupees to 1,000 beneficiaries for purchase of battery-operated two-wheelers.
iii.The completion of Narmada projects, Rs 8,755 crore allocated, Rs 1,084 crore is allocated to complete the Kutch canal for Narmada waters.
For Further Information Click here to read the Over all budget Estimates of 2020-21.
About Gujarat:
Chief Minister– Vijay Rupani
Governor– Acharya Devvrat
