On 2nd August 2024, N Rangasamy, Chief Minister (CM) of Puducherry, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented a tax-free budget of Rs 12,700 crore for the fiscal year 2024-2025 (FY25).
Fiscal Indicators:
i.Puducherry’s own receipts are estimated at Rs 6,914.66 crore.
ii.Central assistance, including the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), is estimated at Rs 3,268.98 crore.
iii.Revenue expenditure is allocated Rs 10,969.80 crore, while capital expenditure is Rs 1,730.20 crore.
iv.The Central road fund is estimated at Rs 20 crore, with Centrally-sponsored schemes allocated Rs 430 crore.
v.The Centre has allowed the Union Territory (UT) to borrow Rs 2,066.36 crore to bridge the fiscal deficit.
Key Allocations:
i.Rs 2,574 crore is allocated for salaries.
ii.Rs 1,388 crore is allocated for payment of pensions.
iii.Rs 1,817 crore is allocated for repayment of loans and interest.
iv.Rs 2,509 crore is allocated for the purchase of power.
v.Rs 1,900 crore is allocated for old-age pensions, other welfare schemes, financial assistance to women heads of families, and subsidies for LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) cylinders.
Announcements:
i.Rs 1,000 per month will be provided for 3 years for government school students who had studied in Classes 6 to 12 to pursue undergraduate degree courses.
ii.The Mudhalvarin Pudhumai Penn scheme will provide a 75% subsidy for buying e-scooters to working women and college girl students of the Adi Dravidar community.
iii.Fair Price Shops, closed due to the introduction of Direct Benefit Transfer, will be reopened in FY25.
iv.Financial assistance to fishermen during the fishing ban period will be increased from Rs 6,500 to Rs 8,000.
v.CM announced a skill development scheme for Scheduled Caste (SC)/Scheduled Tribe (ST) women with a subsidy of Rs 25,000.
vi.Medical expenses will be reimbursed for Below Poverty Line (BPL) category people through the Pondicherry Medical Relief Society.
v.The government will provide financial assistance to BPL category people to convert their huts into pucca house under the Perunthalaivar Kamaraj Centenary Housing Scheme.
vi.The government has proposed to identify 10 villages in Puducherry with more than 50% SC population and spend Rs 50 lakh for improving its infrastructure need over the next 3 years.
vii.The government’s retention scholarship to students of Adi Dravidar community from Class 1 to 5 will be enhanced to Rs 5,000 from Rs 1,000.
- The pre-metric scholarship for Adi Dravidar students in Classes 6 to 8 increased to Rs 5,000 from Rs 1,500, and for Classes 9 and 10 increased to Rs 8,000.
viii.To achieve 100% immunization, the government will provide Rs 10,000 to all children who complete the immunization schedule under the Universal Immunisation Programme by one year.
ix.The Scheme for Modernization and Reforms through Technology in Public Distribution System (SMART-PDS) scheme will be implemented to monitor food grain distribution on a real-time basis.
x.The En Veedu En Nilam scheme will be implemented to encourage vegetable cultivation at home, with inputs worth Rs 5,000 provided and technical support from Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK).
- Schools will receive financial assistance at Rs 2.50 per sq.ft up to 4,000 sq.ft for vegetable gardens.
xi.A new 110/22 KV substation will be constructed at Thavalakuppam, and a Gas Insulated Substation at Lawspet.
- The government also intended to strengthen the existing distribution network at a cost of Rs 83.14 crore was proposed.
xii.A cruise terminal will be constructed at Puducherry Port and a Multipurpose Tourism Product Zone at Manapet.
About Puducherry:
Chief Minister– Natesan Krishnasamy Rangasamy
Lieutenant Governor– C.P. Radhakrishnan
Bird Sanctuary– Oussudu Lake Bird Sanctuary
