)
The Harish Rawat government on Thursday presented its Budget for 2014-15 in the Vidhan Sabha, proposing no new taxes and total expenditure of Rs 30,353.78 crore, showing an increase of 19.83 per cent against the last year’s expenditure of Rs 25,329.84 crore .
A provision of Rs 1,693.48 crore has been made for disaster management and reconstruction works.
With portfolios yet to be distributed among the ministers, Chief Minister Harish Rawat authorised Indira Hridayesh, a Cabinet minister, to present the Budget in the House. However, Leader of the Opposition Ajay Bhatt criticised the government for not adopting the due procedures in this regard. “Technically, Indira Hridayesh is not the finance minister then how can she present the Budget?” Bhatt asked Speaker Govind Kunjwal. At this juncture, the chief minister pacified Bhatt by saying he had authorised Hridayesh.
Also Read
Budget estimates of 2014-15 show a revenue surplus of Rs 682.43 crore which is in conformity of the FRBM Act targets. Similarly, the fiscal deficit has been estimated at Rs 4075.83 crore which is 2.97 per cent of GSDP. This is also well within the FRBM limit of less than 3 per cent.
Total tax revenue receipts are estimated at Rs 12,157.26 crore as against budgetary estimates of Rs 11,007.81 crore in the previous year showing an increase of 17.50 per cent. Significantly, total non-tax revenue receipts are estimated to be Rs 12,317.20 crore as against budgetary estimates of Rs 7,947.91 crore in the year 2013-14 showing a hefty increase of 54.97 per cent. This is mainly due to steep rise in revenue from the mining sector following the introduction of new policy last year, top government officials said.
Non-Plan expenditure is estimated to be Rs 18,676.55 crore which is 61.52 per cent of the total expenditure. This shows an annual increase of 12.38 per cent.
Salary expenditure has been estimated to be Rs 9,193.95 crore as against Rs 7,846.95 crore with an increase of 17.17 per cent. Schemes for women have been estimated to be around Rs 3,708 crore with an increase of 14 per cent.
Assessment of luxury tax has been made annual in place of half-yearly, Hridayesh said in her speech. Taxes on cooked food have been reduced to 5 per cent from 13.5 per cent. Ten per cent additional gratuitous relief from the chief minister’s fund will be provided to disaster affected sugarcane growers. Two kg salt as well as one kg normal pulse and one kg hilly pulse will be provided to ration card holders in areas identified as malnourished.
