CHANDIGARH: For the first time, Punjab Budget will be presented on International Women’s Day on Sunday, March 8, leading to speculations that the AAP's poll promise of giving every woman Rs 1,000 per month may be fulfilled then.
After the cabinet meeting on Monday, Punjab Chief Minister Bahgwant Mann said that the budget session would be held between March 6 and 16, and the budget proposals presented on March 8, coinciding with International Women’s Day.
Ahead of the 2022 Punjab assembly elections, the AAP during the 'Mission Punjab' rally in Moga in November 2021 had announced that Rs 1,000 per month will be given to every woman above 18 years of age in the state.
Four years after the promise was made, the AAP government is yet to implement a scheme in that regard. However, with only a year left till the next Assembly polls, speculations arise whether the timing of the Budget presentation alludes to a possible fulfilling of the promise.
Sources pointed out that as per initial estimates by the Finance Department around Rs 1,000-1,300 crore per month will be required to implement this scheme.
Funds are being raised through the auction of government land and properties mainly in the Greater Mohal. Additionally, the government is accelerating sales under the Optimum Utilisation of Vacant Government Land Scheme.
In the last six months around Rs 4,000 crore has been reportedly collected by the government through these auctions. The government can raise another Rs 12,000 crore by March as it has already borrowed Rs 18,268.91 crore in the first three quarters of the current fiscal.
Sources said the total budgetary expenditure was expected to increase by at least 5 per cent as the AAP government tries to woo different sections of society ahead of the next Assembly elections.
The government might go for higher spending on health, education and rural development, as this will be the last budget of the current regime.
In 2025-26 the government had tabled a Rs 2.36 lakh crore budget.