CHANDIGARH: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Saturday tabled a budget of Rs 58,444 crore for the year 2024-25 with focus on agriculture and making Himachal a green state by March 2026.
Presenting his second budget, Sukhu -- who also holds the finance portfolio — said the fiscal deficit is Rs 10,784 crore, which is 4.75 per cent of State Domestic Product.
He announced that 4 per cent Dearness Allowance installment for employees will be released from April 1, 2024 which will put a financial burden of Rs 580 crore on the government.
Besides, the daily wages of MGNREGA workers will be increased from Rs 240 to 300 per day. A total of Rs 150 crore will be spent on strengthening infrastructure for milk procurement and its processing and the liabilities of all Milk cooperative societies will be waived off, the CM said.
The CM announced that the MSP on cow milk has been raised from Rs 38 to Rs 45 per litre and buffalo milk from Rs 38 to Rs 55 per litre.
Sukhu accused the previous BJP government and added that it was due to their financial mismanagement that the state was under a debt of Rs 87,788 crore.
He also announced a Rs 10 crore Bhed Bakri Protsahan Yojna scheme in addition to an allocation of Rs 582 crore for the Agriculture sector and Rs 300 crore for the Horticulture sector.
He said the total revenue loss has been estimated at Rs 4,514 crore since the revenue receipts are expected to be Rs 42,153 crore and the revenue expenditure at Rs 46,667 crore.
The revenue deficit is estimated to be Rs 5,480 crore with revenue receipts being Rs 40,446 crore and revenue expenditure estimated at Rs 45,926 crore.