Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 14 Mar: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Monday presented a fiscal deficit budget of Rs 644.81 crores for the year 2022-23, “with a philosophy of no citizen left behind, focusing largely on the principles of six building blocks of governance reforms and prudent financial management, sustained investment in the health sector, human capital, self-reliance, synergy and convergence, and environment protection and climate resilience.
Delivering the budget speech, Mein said, “This pandemic has taught us many lessons. I have tried to assimilate our collective experiences in this budget as building blocks so as to make Arunachal future-ready. The first building block is ‘governance reforms and prudent financial management’, so that the fruits of our efforts reach the last person.”
The DCM informed that the gross state domestic product (GSDP) was estimated at Rs 26,365.00 crores in the budget estimate (BE) of 2021-22 and Rs 29,372.00 crores in the revised estimate (RE) of 2021-22 at current prices as per the communication received from the ministry of finance.”
“Since the GSDP for the year 2022-23 is yet to be communicated by the ministry of finance, the GSDP of RE 2021-22, that is Rs 29,372.00 crores, is taken into consideration for preparation of BE 2022-23,” the DCM stated.
“During 2021-22, the share of central taxes as per Union Budget 2021-22 was estimated at Rs 11,693.94 crores. I am pleased to state that the same has been enhanced to Rs 13,062.50 crores in RE for the current financial year 2021-22. This is an increase of 11.7 percent,” he said.
“In the budget estimates of 2022-23, we are projecting revenue receipts of Rs 24,253.54 crores and capital receipts of Rs 1,858.09 crores, making total receipts of Rs 26,111.63 crores, which is 15.64 percent higher than the total estimated receipts of Rs 22,581.00 crores in BE 2021-22. The total receipts increased to Rs 26,131.00 crores in revised estimates of 2021-22,” he said.
The DCM informed the house that the state share of central taxes has been pegged at Rs 14,348.54 crores as per Union Budget 2022-23. It is a significant 10 percent more than the RE 2021-22.
“We have projected the state’s own tax revenue at Rs 2,090.00 crores. The non-tax revenue for 2022-23 is estimated at Rs 935 crores. Thus, our total estimated state’s own revenue generation is Rs 3,025 crores during 2022-23, which is also 10 percent more than the RE 2021-22,” Mein informed.
“In the budget estimates of 2022-23, we are projecting revenue expenditure of Rs 18,201.55 crores as against the budget estimates of Rs 15,344.32 crores in 2021-22. The revenue expenditure is estimated at Rs 17,695.89 crores in revised estimates of 2021-22. The capital expenditure, including loan components, is estimated at Rs 7,507.81 crores as against BE of Rs 6,968.68 crores in 2021-22, which is an increase of 7.74 percent,” the DCM informed.
Interacting with media persons, Mein stated: “Basic philosophy of this budget is no citizen left behind and aimed to spawn entrepreneurships among the citizens to produce job givers instead of job seekers.”
He said that, “in the history of the state budget, this year first time budget amount has crossed Rs 25,000 crores.”
“Our share of capital expenditure to the total expenditure has been consistently above the national average and the highest in the Northeast region. This indicates that we have successfully channelled our resources on return-yielding capital works,” the DCM claimed.
In terms of revamping the health sector, the state government announced Rs 450 crores for upgrading 18 district hospitals and other infrastructures. Rs 100 crores were announced for upgrading the Bakin Pertin General Hospital in Pasighat to a 300-bedded hospital.
To provide quality and affordable healthcare, the government announced to upgrade 60 CHCs and PHCs across the 25 districts with Rs 30 crores. It announced Rs 15 crores for establishing rehabilitation centres in Bomdila, Itanagar and Namsai for drug addicts under the Mukya Mantri Nasha Mukti Yojana.
Investing in human capital, the government has increased Rs 1,330 crores in infrastructure and quality education as against the target of Rs 1,000 crores. Under the Golden Jubilee Model School Programme, the government allocated Rs 500 crores for establishment of model schools, and another Rs 500 crores for 12 EMRS and eight model residential schools.
To develop the permanent infrastructure of the Sainik School in East Siang district, Rs 10 crores has been announced. For uplifting the weaker sections of the society, the government has allocated Rs 2 crores for establishing residential schools for the children of the Puroik community.
For preservation of culture, the government announced Rs 4 crores for paying honorarium of 3,000 registered indigenous priests. The government also announced Rs 3 crores for establishment of an ‘indigenous gurukul school’ in Wada Bagang village in East Kameng district, and earmarked Rs 2 crores for establishment of the Donyi Polo Kumko in Pasighat. For establishment of indigenous prayer centres across the state, the government has enhanced the allocation to Rs 10 crores.
Declaring 2022-23 as the “Year of e-Governance,” the DCM informed that the government would take up 22 e-governance projects to commemorate the year 2022.
“These projects, covering government-to-government and government-to-citizen interfaces, once implemented, would bring in total quality management concept in governance,” the DCM added.
The government announced to provide Rs 330 per annum per subscriber to all contingency workers, casual labourers and Auxiliary Labour Corps (ALC) working with the state government and aged between 18 and 50 years for providing life insurance cover of Rs 2 lakhs under the Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana. It added an additional Rs 12 per annum per subscriber for accident cover of Rs 2 lakhs in case of death and Rs 1 lakh for partial disability under the scheme.
In agriculture and allied sector, the government announced Rs 100 crores for the Atmanirbhar Krishi Yojana and another Rs 100 crores for the Atmanirbhar Bagwani Yojana, and Rs 60 crores for the Atmanirbhar Plantation.
The government further launched three new verticals: the Atmanirbhar Plantation Yojana, the Atmanirbhar Pashupalan Yojana and the Atmanirbhar Matsyapalan Yojana with a total of Rs 310 crores as front-end subsidy for the Atmanirbhar schemes.
An additional Rs 15 crores has been allocated for promotion of tourism in the state through the Arunachal Tourism village and adventure tourism.
Allocation under the Deen Dayal Upadhaya Swalamban Yojana has been increased to Rs 50 crores in the fiscal year of 2022-23. Another Rs 50 crores has been allocated for promotion of startups with initial allocation of Rs 10 crores for 31 startups incubated in this financial year, the government informed.
An amount of Rs 123 crores has been earmarked for devolution of 10 percent of state’s own resource to panchayati raj institutions for local area development, and Rs 100 crores has been announced for infrastructure development of the Arunachal Pradesh Police under a special package.
In road and communication, Rs 930 crores has been announced to the public works department for various projects undertaken by the department. For drinking water supply to every household, Rs 100 crores has been allocated to the PHED to achieve the target of fully functional household taps in 2023.
Quotes of the day
- “Paani ke liye tin bar gana gaa diya tha. Usko mat buliye.” Tezu MLA Karikho Kri, seeking drinking water supply allocation for Tezu township from the minister concerned.
- “Aapka madhur gana waste mein nei jaiga.” PHED&WS Minister Wangki Lowang, responding to Kri.
- “Inka demand toh kaafi purana hai. Phase wise manner mein village road connected kia jaiga, mein yeh aswashan deta hoon.” Chief Minister Pema Khandu, responding to Seppa East MLA Tapuk Taku.
- “Hospital building sirf banake rakne seh nei hoga. Doctor, nurse or other staff b bejna hoga.” Nabam Tuki, ex-CM.
- “Officer log ek bar jhoot bol sakta hai magar bar bar nei bol paiga.” Tali MLA Jikke Tako, welcoming the e-Pragati initiative by CM Khandu.
