Gujarat Budget focuses on social sector

The Gujarat government in its modified Budget for 2014- 15 focused on empowering women with emphasis on social sector development through education, nutrition and health care. Apart from stressing the need for creating employment opportunities for the youth, the state Budget, presented by finance minister Saurabh Patel, gave due attention to irrigation, agriculture and rural development.

In order to provide relief to the common man from spiralling inflation, the government proposed a 10 per cent reduction in passenger tax in Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation buses. It also said there would not be any increase in the price of cooking gas in the current financial year.

Patel said: "With Gujarat under the leadership of its first woman chief minister Anandiben Patel, her approach to women empowerment and development of the social sector through education, nutrition and health is rightly reflected in the modified Budget Estimates for 2014-15."

Notably, the state government said it would reserve 33 per cent posts for women in the recruitment of police forces. Apart from doling out some incentives for women involved in animal husbandry activities, the government announced its plan to double the number of milk producers' co-operative societies operated by women.

Other sectors to get attention include irrigation and flood control, agriculture and allied activities, rural development and social services. Of the total annual Plan size of Rs 71,330.44 crore, social services got the highest allocation of Rs 34,781.50 crore, followed by irrigation and flood control (Rs 13,035.32 crore), transportation (Rs 5,638 crore), agriculture and allied activities (Rs 4,358.20 crore) and rural development (Rs 2,311.30 crore).

In March this year, the government had presented a vote on account budget with interim Plan allocation for April-July 2014, owing to the Lok Sabha elections.