PUDUCHERRY: Chief Minister N Rangasamy presented the annual budget for the fiscal year 2024-2025, allocating Rs 12,700 crore for the union territory. Alongside, he announced a slew of measures and welfare schemes, including monthly financial assistance for college students, a scholarship for SC/ST students and a push for infrastructure development in villages.
Of the total outlay, 65.27% is allocated towards committed expenditures such as salaries, pensions, loan repayments, and power purchases, and 26.83% towards welfare schemes, grants to institutions and undertakings -- taking up 11,690 crore (92.1%) of the total budget. The remaining Rs 1,010 crore (8%) is allocated for new schemes and projects. Rangasamy emphasised the necessity to search for new ways and means to mobilise additional revenue sources to spend more on development and ensure employment opportunities.
Monthly financial assistance for college students
The chief minister announced a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000 will be provided for three years for undergraduate students, who had studied in government schools from class 6 to 12. Award of Cash Incentive -- a new scheme to encourage government schools toppers in board examinations -- has been announced, under which cash prizes of `20,000, Rs 15,000, and Rs 10,000 will be given to students securing first, second and third places at the regional level, respectively; students scoring full marks will receive Rs 5,000 each.
The retention scholarship for students in government schools from classes 1 to 5 will increase from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000. Similarly, the pre-matric scholarship for students in classes 6 to 8 will be hiked from Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000, and for classes 9 and 10 students, it will increase from Rs 2,500 to Rs 8,000. Further, two coaching centres will be established in rural areas, to improve student performance in NEET. The government will establish an ICT training academy for college students, he added.
The government will introduce a new scholarship scheme for students, belonging to the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes, pursuing education abroad.
"Mudhalvarin Pudhumai Penn" Scheme will offer a 75% subsidy to 500 SC/ST working women and college girls for purchasing e-scooters, with a cap of Rs 1 lakh. Another new scheme -- Mudhalvarin Gramam -- will allocate Rs 50 lakh for three years for infrastructure development in 10 villages, where the SC/ST population is over 50 per cent.
SMART-PDS scheme
Following public demands, the government has proposed the distribution of free rice, pulses, sugar, and oil at subsidised rates beginning this financial year. The chief minister said the SMART-PDS Scheme will be implemented to prevent food grain leakage -- grains not reaching intended beneficiaries.
To ensure 100% immunisation, the government will provide Rs 10,000 to the children in Puducherry completing their immunisation schedule as per the Universal Immunisation Programme. A de-addiction centre and an addiction treatment facility will be set up to address alcoholism and drug abuse, he added.
Rangasamy announced the government’s decision to reimburse medical expenses of people living below poverty line (BPL) through Pondicherry Medical Relief Society. The government will provide financial assistance to those under the BPL category to convert their huts into pucca houses, under the Perunthalaivar Kamaraj Centenary Housing Scheme.
Minimum wage slab raised
Rangasamy announced a significant increase in minimum wages, with the lower slab raised to Rs 9,940 and the higher one to Rs 23,790.
A total of Rs 404.19 crore has been set aside for the modernisation of the electricity distribution network and Rs 83.14 crore for its strengthening. Five new fire stations will be established in Puducherry, Villianur, Thavalakuppam, Lingareddipalayam, and Karayamputhur, he said.
A cybersecurity division will be established as per the CERT-IN guidelines and a PM-Ekta Mall will be built at an estimate of Rs 105 crore.
The government has proposed the construction of a cruise terminal at the Pondicherry Port and a Multipurpose Tourism Product Zone in Manapet. The Airports Authority of India will soon take up the feasibility study to expand the airport runway, he said.
Under AMRUT 2.0, a 24x7 water supply will be augmented in Puducherry Town, and under the French government's AFD-funded project, the government proposes to set up a 20-MLD water treatment plant by utilising surface water from Lake Oussudu.
For the prevention of beach erosion, Rs 130 crore has been allocated, with an additional Rs 60 crore for southern-reef construction for beach restoration, he said.
The chief minister added that a child help desk will be established at all the bus stands and railway stations across the union territory.
Graphic BUDGET (financing)
Outlay || Rs 12,700 crore
UT resources || Rs 6,914.66 crore
Central assistance(including state disaster relief fund) || Rs 3,268.98 crore
Central road and infrastructure fund || Rs 20 crore
Centre-sponsored schemes || Rs 430 crore
Net borrowing (market, NABARD, HUIDCO and others) || Rs 2,066.36 crore
Tables
Expenditure
Revenue expenditure || Rs 10,969.89 crore
Capital expenditure || Rs 1,730.2 crore
Gender budgeting || Rs 1,403.46 crore
Youth budgeting || Rs 516.81 crore
Green budgeting || Rs 521.83 crore
Expenditure allocation (committed expenditure)
Salaries || Rs 2,574 crore (20.26%)
Pension || Rs 1,388 crores (10.93%)
Loan repayment, interest || Rs 1,817 crore (14.31%)
Power purchase || Rs 2,509 crore (10.76%)
Old-age pension, welfare schemes for women || Rs 1,900 crore (15%)
Grant-in-aid to society-run higher education || Rs 420 crore (3.31%)
Grant-in-aid to PSUs, co-operative institutions || Rs 1,082 crore (8.52%)