20 MUST KNOWS ABOUT THE GUJARAT STATE BUDGET 2014-15

Under the leadership of Smt. Anandiben Patel, Gujarat continues its march towards inclusive growth and development.

The state budget was presented by the state Finance Minister Saurabh Patel on 1st July 2014.

Here are the 20 must knows about the Gujarat budget-

1.LION’S SHARE IN BUDGET ALLOCATED TO SOCIAL SECTOR

48.76% of the total Plan size allocated for social services such as education and health

Provision of Rs.22774 crores (17% of the total budget size- plan and non-plan)- made for education

A 30% rise in allocations made for health, tribal and labor sectors as compared to the previous year

2.EXTENSIVE FOCUS ON WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

Provision of Rs.2436 crore made for women empowerment

With a goal to double the number of milk producers’ cooperative societies operated by women in the state- Mukhya Mantri Mahila Pashupalan Protsahan Yojana launched

5% Interest subvention for 3 years on the loan schemes of NABARD to women for purchasing milch animals

Kasturba Poshan Sahay Scheme disbursement increased from Rs.2,100/- to Rs.6000/- to improve nutritional diet among pregnant women

‘Abhayam’ 181 Women Helpline to be extended throughout the state

3.IMPETUS TO AGRICULTURAL GROWTH

2014-15 announced as as the ‘Year for Agricultural Development’

Provision of Rs.4624 crores made for the Agriculture sector- 18% higher allocation as compared to the previous year

Interest subvention at the rate of 6% for three years for building godowns on the farms to boost storage capacity in the state

4.EXPANDING THE SCOPE OF ‘MUKHYAMANTRI AMRUTAM (MA) YOJANA’

Under Mukhyamantri Amrutam (MA) Yojana, medical treatment is provided for very serious and fatal ailments free of cost within the limit of Rs.2 lakhs per family to the BPL (Below Poverty Line) families. An exemplary step to extend this scheme for the

women and children (up to 21 years of age) of families having annual income of less than Rs.1.20 lakhs as well as to the unorganized sector laborers and construction workers taken in this budget

Provision of Rs. 160 crores made for the same

5.EXPANSION OF ‘DUDH SANJIVANI YOJANA’

Under this scheme, Government has been providing milk twice a week to 48 thousand children in the age group of 3 to 6 years in the anganwadis in 7 tribal talukas in the State.

Benefits of the scheme extended to a further 17 tribal talukas which will cover 5 lakh beneficiaries with a total annual expenditure of Rs.31 crores through this budget

6.MAHATMA GANDHI SWACHHATA MISSION

To mark the 150th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi Swachhata Mission has been launched which shall include various aspects of cleanliness which shall be undertaken in a phased manner.

Allocated amount of Rs.290 crores for the urban areas and Rs.267 crores for the rural areas

7.SKILL DEVELOPMENT

Increase in allocation on skill development from Rs. 480 crores to Rs. 1151 crores in the past two years

To set up 19 new Government ITIs with a capacity of 3800 seats ensuring that no taluka is left without an ITI

8.PANDIT DINDAYAL UPADHYAY YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP SCHEME

To provide 7% interest subvention for 3 years on bank loans up to Rs. 1 lakh to youth who have completed their ITI training to start their own business

9.EXCELLENCE IN SPORTS

To develop Center of Excellence for Sports in major cities across the state

10.KNOWLEDGE HUB

To create a Knowledge Hub at Chokari village of Padra taluka near Vadodara

To be developed as a special education-cum-sports zone which shall accommodate Children’s University, Teachers University, Sports University, and Central University in a single place with common infrastructure

11.ONLINE EDUCATION

Introduction of ‘Virtual Classroom Project’ for quality education in English language and mathematics in the primary schools

12.NARMADA- SARDAR SAROVAR DAM

Allocation of Rs.9000 crores for the Narmada Yojana

Work for construction of canals to be fast tracked to improve availability of water across the state

13.EMPOWERING THE POWER SECTOR

Provision of Rs. 5,067 crores made for energy sector

To be used to set up new substations, transmission lines as well as provide over 100,000 agriculture power connections during the fiscal

Provision of Rs.150 crores under ‘Kisan Hit Urja Shakti Yojana (KHUSHY)’ to provide quality electricity supply to the agricultural sector

14.INCENTIVES TO THE MICRO AND SMALL SCALE INDUSTRIES

Allocation of Rs. 100 crores for promoting micro and small scale industries in the state with a target of creating one lakh new units in the state in the next 3 years

Incentivizing the GIDCs and private developers to create affordable spaces for such micro and small scale industries

15.PILGRIMAGE TOURISM

To develop tourism around the theme of rich pilgrimage culture in the state

A fund created of Rs.100 crores for developing tourism infrastructure

16.DATTOPANT THENGDI KARIGAR VYAJ SAHAY YOJANA’

Assistance to artisans to secure loan up to Rs.1 lakh from banks by providing its collateral along with 7% interest subvention for three years

Scheme to benefit 50,000 artisans

17.HOUSING FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

Allocation of Rs. 200 crore to provide financial assistance to construction workers in city areas to build or purchase their own houses

18.REDUCTION IN FARES IN STATE TRANSPORT BUSES

Reduction in tax rate from 17.5% to 7.5% on the sale of the ticket in state buses

20 lakh passengers to be benefitted

19.DOUBLING THE MLA GRANT FOR DEVELOPMENT WORK

Increase in MLA grant for developmental purposes from Rs. 50 lakhs to Rs. 1 crore

20.NOTEWORTHY INCREASE IN BUDGET OUTLAY

Overall budget size 2013-14 - Rs.114450 crores 2014-15 - Rs.133465 crores[17% increase than the last year]

Plan Expenditure

2013-14 - Rs.59000 crores 2014-15 - Rs.71330 crores [21% more than the last year]