Page 20 - Budget

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After LG's concerns, Centre asks Kejriwal govt to resubmit Delhi budget

The Home Ministry sources dismissed the allegations, adding that the MHA has instead sought clarification from the Delhi govt as its budget allocation was focussed on advertisement rather than infra

Budget file received at 9:25 pm, approval sent back at 10:05 pm: LG House

An official at the L-G House said that Saxena had approved the Annual Financial Statement 2023-2024 with certain observations and the file was sent back to the Chief Minister on March 9

Tamil Nadu revenue deficit down 52%, says budget hailing welfare measures

Financial Minister increases commitment to programmes for women, students and health insurance

Tamil Nadu govt presents Budget, says revenue deficit on decline

The Tamil Nadu government on Monday presented its Budget 2023-24 in the Assembly and said reform initiatives have led to a reduction in revenue deficit from about Rs 62,000 crore to Rs 30,000 crore. Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, tabling the Budget said that owing to the unprecedented and difficult reforms undertaken, "we have reduced the annual revenue deficit of around Rs.62,000 crore which we inherited on assuming office (May 2021), to around Rs30,000 crore in the Revised Estimates of the current year." This is notwithstanding the several "massive welfare schemes" that are being implemented during the last two years, he said. Fare free travel for women in State-run buses, breakfast scheme for government school students are among the several schemes being implemented. Even as Rajan began his address, the principal opposition AIADMK attempted to raise issues which led to a din for a while. The Minister announced setting up of a hi-tech 'global sports city' in Chennai, R

Announcements in Budget attempt of Cong to fulfil personal interests: Raje

Senior BJP leader Vasundhara Raje on Friday termed the budget announcements made by Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot an attempt to fulfil "personal political interests". "The new announcements of the Congress government are just an attempt to fulfil their personal political interests. In this effort, he has put the entire economic system of Rajasthan at stake. The consequences of which will have to be borne by the people of the state and the state in the years to come," she said in a statement. The former chief minister said many important facts have been ignored in the process of creating new districts and people would have to face administrative complications. Gehlot on Friday announced his government's decision to form 19 new districts and three new divisions in the state, earmarking Rs 2,000 crore for development of infrastructure for them. The chief minister has tried to politicise the budget and put fiscal indicators of the state at stake, which is unfortunate, Raje said

States' capital budgets: Spending, classification can be variable exercise

Most of the other major states, including Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Rajasthan, Telangana and Haryana, hew close to either extreme

Uttarakhand FM Premchand presents Budget of Rs 77,407 crores for 2023-24

Uttarakhand Finance Minister Premchand Aggarwal on Wednesday presented a budget with a total income expenditure of Rs 77,407 crores for the financial year 2023-24

Delhi govt's 2023-24 Budget outlay could be close to Rs 80,000 cr

With boosted tax revenue, the Delhi government's budget outlay for 2023-24, to be tabled in the upcoming assembly session, may be close to Rs 80,000 crore, officials said on Wednesday. The tax collection of the government in the current and the next financial year is expected to remain as per estimates, they said The annual budget size of the government for 2022-23 was Rs 75,800 crore and Rs 69,000 crore in the year earlier. The budget session of Delhi assembly will start on March 17 with Lt Governor VK Saxena addressing the House.The budget will be presented on March 21 and it will be preceded by an Outcome Budget of the government. Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot will present his first budget in the assembly. He was given charge of the department after the resignation of deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia who was arrested by the ED in connection with the Delhi excise policy scam case. "Budget preparation is exciting but a very time consuming exercise. Days are filled with end

Parliamentary panel raises concerns over budget cuts for MGNREGA scheme

Even as a parliamentary standing committee raised concerns over the reduced fund allocation for the MGNREGA scheme, the government said there is "no dearth of money" if the demand arises for wage employment. The Standing Committee on Rural Development, which submitted its report in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, said the budget estimates for MGNREGS have been reduced by Rs 29,400 crore for 2023-24 when compared to the revised estimates of 2022-23. "The Act governing the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme provides Right to Work' to such deprived sections of the rural populace who are willing to work. It is a last resort of succour for the jobless section who don't have any other means to feed them and their family members," the report said. "The role and importance of MGNREGA were visible during the corona pandemic times when it acted as a ray of hope for the needy in times of distress," it said. The ministry, in its response, stated that the scheme is ...

Puducherry CM N Rangasamy announces monthly LPG subsidy of Rs 300

The Puducherry government on Monday announced a Rs 300 monthly LPG subsidy for the people of the union territory, earmarking Rs 126 crore for the scheme. Chief Minister N Rangasamy made the announcement in the UT budget presented for the year 2023-24. Rangasamy, who detailed the achievements of various departments said the government had earmarked Rs 126 crore for implementing the scheme to provide the subsidy of Rs 300 for all families for one cylinder a month. He presented a Rs 11,600 crore tax free budget. The LPG subsidy initiative would benefit all families possessing family ration cards. The CM said the government would also hold a "World Tamil Conference" here with the participation of Tamil scholars from various countries. A national conference would also be conducted as a highlight of celebration of the 150th birth anniversary of Sri Aurobindo "to propagate his thoughts, philosophy, research on yoga and literature." Further, the government would deposit Rs 50,000 under

Sitharaman to present J-K budget in LS today as 2nd leg of session begins

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday will present the budget for 2023-24 for the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir in the Lok Sabha

94% expenditure marked for road, bridge, infra projects in MMRDA budget

The Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority's budget for fiscal 2023-24 was presented by Metropolitan Commissioner SVR Srinivas on Friday, with 94 per cent of expenditure earmarked for road and bridge projects, public transport and other infrastructure development works. As per an MMRDA release, the total estimated receipt is Rs.23,689.77 crores, including a loan from the Maharashtra government, while the total estimated expenditure is Rs. 28,704.98 crore, leaving a deficit of Rs 5,014.41 crore. It was presented in the MMRDA's 15th meeting in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis. Srinivas also presented a revised budget of MMRDA for 2022-23 with estimated total revenue of Rs.14,535.39 crore and total expenditure estimated at Rs.15,452.98 crores. Both the budgets were approved in the meeting, the release informed. "Out of total estimated expenditure for 2023-24, 94 per cent, or Rs.27,079.69 crore, will be spent on Road and Bridge ...

AAP govt presents its first complete Punjab Budget of Rs 1.96 trillion

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Friday presented the first complete state Budget of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government with an outlay of Rs 196,462 crore

Biden ultimate socialist president, a disaster for America: Nikki Haley

Indian-American Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley Thursday slammed President Joe Biden for his annual budgetary proposals which she said was socialist in nature and a "disaster for America". "We should be moving people from welfare to work. But Joe Biden is calling for no-strings-attached welfare checks with no work requirements," Haley said after Biden unveiled his USD 6.9 trillion budget. In his annual budget, Biden has come out with a series of social welfare measures and raised taxes on the rich. "I think Biden is the ultimate socialist president. He loves to spend everybody else's money. His answer to everything is to increase taxes," Haley told Fox News in an interview. "We need to be realistic. We're USD 31 trillion in debt. We are borrowing money to make our interest payments. This is not sustainable. The problem is Washington DC has a spending problem, and we need to put them on our diet and put an end to it," she said in response to a question. "The first thi

Those giving assurances are traitors: Aaditya Thackeray on Maha budget

"How much can you trust upon them? Assurances were given by the previous government during 2014-2019. How many of them were fulfilled," said Aaditya Thackeray

We will fulfill needs of women and middle class in our first Budget: Shinde

Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Wednesday said the state Budget, which is to be presented on Thursday, will fulfil the needs and aspirations of women and the middle class across the state."I can tell you that we will look to fulfil the needs and aspirations of women & the middle class." Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde said."Tomorrow (Thursday) is our first Budget. We'll be fulfilling our promises tomorrow. Everyone is anticipating what the Budget will hold for them," he added.On the Budget, which will be the first to be presented by the Shiv Sena-BJP government since the change of guard in the state last year, Shinde said the government will keep its promises to the people.Speaking at an event at Mumbai's iconic Gateway of India on Wednesday, the CM also extended best wishes to women on International Women's Day. He said, "Today, we honoured women who work for the country in the cities and villages. Today is a day for our women, sisters and mothers."Shinde said the ...

Private sector should increase investments, benefit from Budget: Modi

Trust and expectation have replaced doubt in discussions about Indian economy, he says

Gujarat Guv gives assent to stringent bill to tackle exam paper leaks

Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat has given his assent to a Bill brought by the state's BJP government in the ongoing Budget session to curb recruitment exam paper leaks which prescribes jail up to 10 years to those involved in such malpractices and may face fines of up to Rs 1 crore. The Gujarat Public Examination (Prevention of Unfair Means) Bill, 2023 was unanimously passed in the House on February 24, and Governor Devvrat has given his assent, Minister of State for Home Harsh Sanghavi said on Monday. As per provisions of the Bill, those involved in malpractices like exam paper leaks could be jailed for up to 10 years and may face fines of up to Rs 1 crore. The legislation is meant to punish those who either leak a question paper of a recruitment exam, procure a question paper in an unauthorised manner or solve such a paper illegally. The Bill says any candidate indulging in such activities will be punished with imprisonment up to three years, and shall also be liable for a fine

Delhi Assembly session from Mar 17, Gahlot to present budget on Mar 21

Delhi Assembly's budget session will be convened from March 17 and the budget will be presented on March 21, officials said on Sunday. This will be the first time since AAP came to power in Delhi in 2015 that the budget will not be presented by senior party leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who held the finance portfolio. The budget, this year, will be presented by Revenue Minister Kailash Gahlot, who has been handed over the reins of the finance department following Sisodia's arrest in the excise policy case on February 26 and his resignation from the cabinet. After getting the finance portfolio, Gahlot has held several meetings with the ministry officials. Even before Sisodia's arrest, Gahlot was part of the budget-related meetings. "The budget session of the Delhi Assembly will commence on March 17 and the budget will be presented on March 21," said an official. The session will begin with Lt Governor VK Saxena's address. The 2022-23 budget was presented