Shimla: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minster Virbhadra Singh presented Budget Estimates for the year 2014-15 in the Vidhan Sabha here today. The main highlights of the budget are
• Annual Plan Outlay of ` 4,400 Crore proposed for 2014-15.
• Project proposal of ` 1,507 Crore posed to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for Forest Ecosystems management and livelihood project.
• Public Services Delivery Helpline to be set up for the people of the State.
• A facility of Toll Free telephone number to be created for reporting the cases of corruption in the Government Departments.
• Delegation of Financial and Administrative Powers in all Departments to enhance efficiency and speed up delivery of service.
• Public Private Partnership Cells to be established in PWD, IPH, Urban Development, Tourism, Transport and Health to bring more investment in these sectors.
• To make Result Frame Document (RFD) public oriented, each Department will work out five to seven measurable outputs, which directly benefit general public.
• Lok Mitra Kendras will be opened in Himachal Bhawans at New Delhi and Chandigarh to facilitate Himachalis living there.
• E-office to be started in 10 offices.
• A budget provision of ` 220 Crore kept under the State Subsidy Scheme for PDS.
• A project of ` 14.23 Crore to be implemented for computerisation of ration cards and automation of supply chain of PDS.
• Additional food grain storage capacity of 30,000 MT to be created over next four years.
• Additional 4,000 Hectare area to be brought under off-season vegetables for which an allocation of ` 55 Crore made.
• Dr. Y. S, Parmar Kisan Swarozgar Yojana to be introduced with an outlay of ` 100 Crore. 85% subsidy to be provided for the construction of poly-houses.
• Coffee Cultivation to be explored in the Districts of Kangra, Mandi, Una & Bilaspur.
• Mukhya Mantri Adarsh Krishi Gaon Yojana to continue and one additional Panchayat of each Assembly Constituency will be provided ` 10 lakh.
• 15 Lakh Sq. Metre to be brought under protection from hailstorm by providing quality anti-hail nets to orchardists.
• 1,500 Hectare area will be brought under revamped Apple Rejuvenation Project.
• Weather based Crop Insurance Scheme shall be expanded to cover additional blocks under apple and mango and shall also cover additional fruits like Peach, Plum and Kinnow in specified blocks.
• All private investors investing in Controlled Atmosphere Stores in the rural areas of the State, to be provided Government land at token lease money of ` 1.
• One Apple Juice Concentrate Unit costing ` 15 Crore will be set up in District Shimla by HPMC.
• Two Vegetable Pack Houses with an investment of ` 8 Crore to be set up in Ghumarwin and Nadaun.
• A new Liquid Nitrogen Gas Plant amounting to ` 4 Crore to be set up in Palampur.
• An allocation of ` 10 Crore made to provide hand driven and power driven chaff cutters for livestock owners.
• Procurement price of different varieties of wool increased ranging from 7.5% to 32.5%.
• Possibility of using Sexed Semen technique to be explored to reduce stray cattle menace.
• Demonstration project on Cage fish culture to be started in Gobind Sagar and Pong reservoirs.
• Mobile fish market scheme to be started for marketing of fish.
• All State Fish Growers to be covered under premium free “Group Accidental Fishermen Insurance Scheme”.
• For eradication of lantana, additional 10,000 hectare area will be covered.
• Habitat plantation enrichment, sterlisation and other measures to be adopted for controlling monkey menace.
• Enhancement of compensation from ` 1,00,000 to ` 1,50,000 in case of death of a human caused by wild animal and in case of grievous injury the compensation enhanced from ` 33,000 to ` 75,000.
• TD rules liberalised. Now TD will be given to right holders for construction and repair of house after 15 and 5 years respectively instead of earlier period of 30 and 15 years.
• Three new ICDP projects to be started in District Kangra, Shimla and Kullu with an outlay of ` 85 Crore.
• 20% funds under Decentralised planning earmarked for convergence under MGNREGA.
• ` 90 Crore will be spent under ‘Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan’. Thrust on Solid and Liquid waste management in rural areas to be given in next year.
• 10 additional blocks to be covered under Intensive mode under NRLM programme.
• 3,500 women based Self-Help Groups (SHGs) would be assisted to achieve credit mobilization target of ` 100 Crore.
• 10,700 new houses to be constructed under various housing schemes with a grant of ` 75,000 per house.
• Provision made for repair of houses for BPL general category houses under Rajiv Awaas Yojana.
• An expenditure of ` 190 Crore will be incurred for implementing Integrated Watershed Management Programme covering 25,000 Hectare area.
• The State Government will transfer ` 476 Crore to PRIs and ` 382 Crore to ULBs for the years 2012-2017 as recommended by 4th State Finance Commission.
• 245 vacant posts of Panchayat Sahayaks will be filled up to ensure timely delivery of services.
• 200 Gram Panchayat Offices will be upgraded and 1,425 Lap-Tops will be provided under Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan at the cost of ` 55 Crore.
• Grant-in-aid to Gram Panchayats for payment of honorarium to Panchayat Chowkidar to be increased from ` 1,650 to ` 1,850 per month.
• Honorarium of the representatives of PRIs increased from 1st April, 2014.
• A special drive to be launched to reduce the pendency of revenue court cases by 20%.
• Water ATMs to be installed at important destinations.
• ` 240 Crore to be provided as energy charges to IPH to provide drinking water and irrigation facilities at an affordable cost.
• Swan Channelisation from Daulatpur Bridge to Gagret Bridge costing ` 922 Crore and Channelisation of Chounch Khad costing ` 180 Crore to be taken up.
• A budget outlay of ` 1,500 Crore proposed for Irrigation and Public health.
• 2,000 MW additional hydro-power capacity targeted for commissioning in 2014-15.
• Streamlined the process for project clearances for Small Hydro Power Projects.
• Free power from 2 Mega Watt projects to be reduced from 7% to 3%.
• Preference to Himachalis for allotment of projects upto 5 MW.
• State VAT on plant and machinery of Hydro-Power Projects will be given full set-off of 5% Entry Tax.
• VAT on all type of plant and machinery used in generation of hydro-power, to be reduced to only 2%.
• State Government to take over the liability of ` 564 Crore of the loan outstanding against the HPSEBL.
• Cheaper electricity from SJVNL, which the State gets on account of its equity of 25%, to be given to HPSEBL for its lifetime to ensure low-priced electricity supply to the consumers.
• ` 330 Crore subsidy to be provided to HPSEBL to subsidise domestic consumers.
• 2 MW Solar Photo-Voltaic Power Plant to be set up in Kaza.
• An allocation of ` 985 Crore made for MPP and Power department.
• ‘HP Investment Promotion Cell’ to be set up to drive new investment in the State.
• An ‘Industry Advisory Council’ to be set up for industrial development in the State.
• New ‘State of Art’ Industrial Areas to be developed at Pandoga in District Una and Kandrori in District Kangra with an investment of ` 219 Crore.
• A Tool Room at Baddi with an estimated cost of about ` 147 Crores to be established.
• Approval for purchase of land for industrial units under Section-118 of HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act simplified.
• Specified EHT industrial units to pay electricity Duty at reduced rate of 15 %.
• Existing Medium and large industries to pay electricity duty at a reduced rate of 13%. Such new units to pay only 5% electricity duty for five years.
• Existing small industry to pay electricity duty at a reduced rate of 7% and new unit to pay only 2% for five years.
• Any new industry, employing more than 300 Himachalis, will be charged only 2% electricity duty for five years.
• For setting up a new industrial enterprise in the State, only 50% stamp duty to be charged.
• Conversion of land use charges for the new industries to be reduced by 50% from the existing rates.
• 1,300 new buses for HRTC.
• ` 516 Crore Project proposals under Rural Roads Project Phase II sanctioned.
• Tunnels to be constructed under PPP mode.
• Work on ‘Four laning of Parwanoo-Shimla Highway’ to be done on BOT basis at a cost of ` 2,500 Crore.
• Work on ‘Four laning of Kiratpur-Nerchowk Highway awarded for ` 1,818 Crore.
• An outlay of ` 2,384 Crore proposed for Public Works department.
• Rail line to be extended to Baddi from any feasible rail point. State government to contribute 50% for this project.
• The facility of filing e-returns, e-tax payment, e-declaration and issuance of statutory forms on-line extended to all the registered dealers of the State with effect from 1st July, 2014.
• The dealers will be provided the facility of making tax payment directly in the banks.
• From 1st March, 2014, the Trucks with full e-declarations of Goods will not be required to stop at barriers mandatorily, while exiting from the State.
• Toll tax barriers to be auctioned for a period of three years to ensure development of modern toll infrastructure.
• Sustainable tourism action plan to be formulated for Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti.
• Greenfield airport project to be explored near Kandaghat and survey for developing an airport in Mandi district to be done.
• Government to initiate large number of ropeway projects in the State.
• Luxury Tax exempted for a period of 10 years for New Hotels opened in the rural areas of the State.
• ICT at School Scheme (Phase II) to cover 618 Government Senior Secondary Schools, 848 High Schools and 5 Smart Schools.
• Net Books (Lap Tops) to be provided to 7,500 meritorious students of Class-10th &12th during 2014-15.
• Vocational Education to be extended in additional 100 schools. 200 Vocational Teachers to be appointed in these schools in 2014-15.
• Project proposal of ` 956 Crore posed to Government of India under RUSA.
• Budget outlay of ` 4,282 Crore earmarked for Education sector.
• One Government Engineering College to be opened in Nagrota Bagwan under RUSA.
• Skill development allowance scheme liberalised to cover maximum youths. A budget provision of ` 100 Crore kept for Skill development initiatives.
• Budget provision of ` 5 Crore for creating a revolving fund for upkeep and pooja-archana of temples.
• A City Museum & Entertainment Park to be set up in the heart of Shimla city.
• Financial assistance for bulk purchase of books of Himachali writers raised from ` 10,000 to ` 25,000 for State Awardees and ` 6,000 to ` 15,000 for other writers.
• Annual grant of Youth Clubs for procurement of sports equipments and cultural instruments increased from ` 10,000 to ` 18,000.
• 50 posts of Coaches and 13 posts of Groundsmen to be created , to give boost to sports activities.
• All accredited correspondents of Himachal Pradesh exempted from payment of Toll Fee at the time of entry in the State.
• ` 1 Crore earmarked for construction of Press Clubs.
• Cheaper and quality Generic Drugs to be provided to the people of the State. Drug warehouses to be established in the State.
• Mobile Medical Units to be set up for better health care services in far-flung areas.
• Trauma Centres to be set up at Nurpur, Rampur and Kullu.
• Kamla Nehru Hospital at Shimla to be upgraded as full-fledged Mother-Child Hospital.
• Mother and Child hospital to be set up in Mandi.
• Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to cover Sanitation workers, rag pickers, Auto Rickshaw drivers and Taxi drivers etc.
• A budget provision of ` 1,050 Crore kept for Health and Medical Education sector.
• Water supply schemes to be augmented in Sujan pur, Rampur, Nagrota, Kangra, Mandi, Kullu and Manali at a cost of ` 183 Crore.
• Four Modern Abattoirs to be set up at a cost of ` 15 Crore each.
• Sewerage Schemes to be constructed for Baddi and Nalagarh towns at an estimated cost of ` 90 Crore.
• City livelihood centre to be established in Shimla.
• Honourarium for the elected representatives of Municipal Corporation, Shimla, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats increased.
• Procedures for permission under Town and Country Planning Act to be simplified. Areas under the purview of TCP Act to be rationalised.
• Reservation of two seats to be provided in all Government institutes for acquiring higher education including technical and professional education for single girl child.
• ICDS to be implemented in the State in Mission Mode and an amount of ` 130 Crore proposed under the programme during 2014-15.
• An allocation of ` 1,108 Crore proposed for Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan for 2014-15 and has been increased to 25.19% of Plan outlay as compared to 24.72% given in 2013-14.
• Social Security Pension increased from ` 500 to ` 550 per month.
• All persons above the age of 80 years to get Social Security Pension irrespective of any income limit except those drawing any other pension.
• Persons with above 70% disability to get higher pension at the rate of ` 750 per month. Marriage grant for them to be raised to ` 40,000.
• Housing Subsidy for repair of houses of SCs, STs & OBCs increased from ` 15,000 to ` 25,000.
• A uniform income limit of ` 35,000 per annum fixed for eligibility to avail benefit under various schemes.
• An allocation of ` 924 Crore proposed for the development of tribal areas for 2014-15.
• Financial Assistance of World War-II Veterans increased from ` 750 to ` 2,000.
• Annuity of Gallantry Award Winners increased from ` 3,000 to ` 5,000.
• ` 2 Crore to be provided for establishment of War Memorial Museum at Dharamshala.
• ‘Samman Rashi’ of wives and daughters of late freedom fighter enhanced from ` 3,500 to ` 5,000.
• Marriage grant to the daughters and grand-daughters of the Freedom Fighters enhanced to ` 51,000 in case of daughters and ` 21,000 in case of grand-daughters.
• Two Women Police Stations to be established in Shimla and Dharamshala.
• Ration Allowance of Constables, Head Constables, ASIs, SIs, and Inspectors increased from ` 150 to ` 180 per month.
• Honorarium of Home Guards increased from ` 225 to ` 260 per day. Rank allowance increased by 20%.
• 5,000 functional posts to be filled up in different departments.
• Daily Wages increased from ` 150 to ` 170.
• All Daily Wagers completing seven years of service as on 31st March, 2014 to be regularised.
• All Contractual Employees, completing six years of service as on 31st March, 2014, will be regularised. Their leave benefits increased. They will also be brought under RSBY scheme.
• Monthly honorarium of Part Time Water Carriers increased from ` 1,300 to ` 1,500.
• Part-timers completing eight years of services as on 31st March, 2014 to be made daily wagers.
• Monthly honourarium of Tailoring Teachers increased from ` 1,600 to ` 2,000.
• Additional honorarium to Anganwari workers, helpers increased by 50%.
• Pensioners on attaining the age of 65-70, 70-75 and 75-80 years will be given pension allowance of 5%, 10% and 15% respectively. Benefit of Dual Family Pension to the families of Military Family Pensioners granted from 2014-15.
• 10% Dearness Allowance to be given to all the State Government employees and pensioners.
