Himachal proposes Rs 9,989.49 cr budget plan for 2024-25: CM Sukhu

The Himachal Pradesh government has proposed an annual budget plan of Rs 9,989.49 crore for 2024-25, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said on Monday.

The chief minister presided the first session of MLA Priority meeting with the MLAs from Una, Hamirpur and Sirmaur districts.

The Chief Minister said that the state government was working with a motto to make Himachal Pradesh self-reliant in the next four years and the most prosperous state in the country in 10 years.

He exhorted the MLAs to come up with the priorities that were in line with the state government's commitment to provide clean, transparent and accountable administration to the people of the state.

Sukhu said that the discussion during these meetings would pave the way to further accelerate the development process.

"The state government is committed for equitable development of all the areas and every section of the society. In order to achieve this, the government has adopted the manifesto of the Congress party as a Policy Document" he stated adding that all the ministers, MLAs and departments were working tirelessly for the effective implementation of the 'Policy Document'.

He said that numerous steps have been taken to make Himachal Pradesh a Green Energy State in the next two years and the government has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding of Rs 2,000 crore with the World Bank.

"As per the MoU, works would be carried out under the Hydroelectric and Renewable Energy Development Programme for the next five years" he said.

Sukhu said that MLA priorities in general were financed through the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund under National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

"For the year 2023-24, an amount of Rs 918.81 crore was sanctioned by the NABARD besides 62 works of Public Works Department and 93 works of Jal Shakti Department have been sanctioned" he said.

The chief minister also directed the officials of the Public Works and Jal Shakti Departments to fully utilize NABARD's budget outlay for the year 2024-25 and submit reimbursement claims in the NABARD office before March 15.