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Assam will "accord priority" and "encourage" inducting new hybrid technology in the field of renewable energy of solar and winding "as the future of the Gen-Next," said Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi, who also holds the finance portfolio, while placing the budget for financial year 2013-14 on the floor of the assembly today.
The Rs.1,352.57 crore deficit budget hiked tax on cigarettes, clicker, marble, granite etc. but proposed to exempt or reduce tax on items like stone chips, boulders, CFL bulb, generator set and jaggery.
Gogoi said a programme for harnessing both solar and wind energy through the latest hybrid technology is sought to be promoted to generate electricity for street lighting through LED technology with facilities of smart grid and remote meter facilities. Rs 5 crore will be provided for preparation of detailed project report (DPR) and facilitation of a Demo Pilot Project will be taken up at certain public utility places in the State.
"It is our priority to increase the share of renewable energy in power generation to mitigate the shortage of energy faced by the farmers. In order to promote such solar energy usage, I propose to set up 2 solar power and storage project of 1 MW each at selected remote agricultural villages for using electricity for agricultural purposes. For this purpose Rs.1.5 crore will be made available as state share," said Gogoi. He added: "My government will encourage growth of new and renewable energy projects in the state, especially solar energy and wind power, for which a special initiative called Chief Minister's Solar and Wind Power Mission, will be launched. For development of solar energy, several initiatives like Roof Top Solar Projects, Hybrid Renewable Energy Projects and Community based rural electrification models are proposed to be taken up during 2013-14."
Gogoi said the peak demand of electricity in the State had increased from 578 MW in 2001 to 1,300 MW. "However, the average power availability from our own sources and central sector allotment in the peak period is 950 MW only. The situation is expected to improve after commercial production of the first unit of ONGC Tripura Power Company Ltd, situtated at Palatana, and commissioning of Bongaigaon Thermal Power Station of NTPC" added Gogoi.
The 3 MW Stage -II and 6 MW Stage - I of Myntriang Small Hydro Electric Project shall be commissioned in 2013-14. Further construction of the 120 MW Lower Kopilli Hydro Electric Project will be initiated next year.
As compared to many other states, the rate of registration fees and stamp duty on transfer of property is very high in Assam. "To encourage higher compliance in registration of property transfer deeds and to empower women by encouraging the ownership of property in their name", the budget reduced the rate of stamp duty and registration fees from a total of 13.5 per cent to 3 per cent in case of women registrants and from 14.5 per cent to 5 per cent in case of men.
Gogoi said a new industrial policy will be "announced soon", besides pledging to start a metro-rail project for Guwahati soon.
The budget 2013-14 also proposed to set up a "Khadi Plaza" in Guwahati "to provide a platform for value added products of the cottage industry sector of Assam". He also proposed to set up an Integrated Textile Park at Naharkatiya, in Upper Assam, to create world class infrastructure facilities for textile units. A Handloom Trade Centre at Guwahati has also been proposed for improvement and promotion of handloom sector.
Various fiscal measures adopted by the state government, said Gogoi, had started yielding favourable results from 2005-06 onwards. Since April 2005 the state government did not resort to any overdraft even for a day. The basic financial parameters of revenue and fiscal deficits have improved significantly.
