Chandigarh: Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal presented state budged in the Punjab Assembly on Saturday (March 24).
The state finance minister came up with a development tax on income tax payers and levy for social security as the state continues to stare at burgeoning deficits.
Beginning April, income tax assessees — professionals, traders and employees — may have to pay Rs 200 per month.
This Punjab Development Tax, along with a tax for funding social security schemes, was announced by Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal as he presented his Budget proposals for 2018-19.
The budget summery released by Information and Public Relations Department, Punjab is being reproduced below for the information of readers of the Sikh Siyasat News (SSN):
BUDGET SUMMARY 2018-19
The total Budget size for the year 2018-19 is `129698 crore. However the effective Budget size is `102198 crore as the above figure contains a budget provision of `27500 crore towards Ways and Means transactions for the current year. The total Receipts are expected to be `122923 crore. The details are as follows:
| Sr. No. | Item | Revised Estimates 2017-18
(` crore) |
Budget Estimates 2018-19
(` crore) |
| 1 | Revenue Receipts (2+3+4+5+6) | 56872 | 73812 |
| 2 | State’s Own Tax Revenue | 35490 | 41064 |
| 3 | State’s Own Non-Tax Revenue | 5096 | 10249 |
| 4 | Share of Central Taxes | 10617 | 12429 |
| 5 | Grants-in-Aid from Centre | 5668 | 8570 |
| 6 | Additional Resource Mobilization | – | 1500 |
| 7 | Capital Receipts (8+9+10) | 45808 | 49111 |
| 8 | Public Debt excluding Ways and Means Advance | 18233 | 21555 |
| 9 | Ways & Means Advance | 27500 | 27500 |
| 10 | Recovery of Loans | 75 | 56 |
| 11 | Total Receipts (1+7) | 102680 | 122923 |
| 12 | Revenue Expenditure (13+14+15+16) | 71182 | 86351 |
| 13 | Salaries and Wages (including Grant-in-Aid) | 24938 | 25709 |
| 14 | Pension and retirement benefits | 9469 | 10305 |
| 15 | Interest Payments | 15175 | 16260 |
| 16 | Other Revenue Expenditure | 21600 | 34078 |
| 17 | Capital Expenditure | 4389 | 6385 |
| 18 | Repayment of Public Debt excluding Ways and Means Advance | 7530 | 8610 |
| 19 | Repayment of Ways & Means Advance | 27500 | 27500 |
| 20 | Advances of Loans | 2197 | 851 |
| 21 | Total Expenditure (12+17+18+19+20) | 112797 | 129698 |
| 22 | Revenue Deficit (12-1) | 14310 | 12539 |
| 23 | Fiscal Deficit (22+20+17-10) | 20821 | 19720 |
| 24 | Primary Deficit (23-15) | 5646 | 3460 |
| 25 | Outstanding Debt | 195978 | 211523 |
| GSDP at Current Prices | 477482 | 518165 |
MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS
- For Debit Relief scheme `4250 crore has been allocated and `370 crore has been disbursed to 71166 farmers as debt relief.
- Free power to farmers to be continued. `6256 crore allocated.
- Under RKVY. `400 crore has been allocated.
- ` 25 crore for support to extension services (ATMA),
- For underground pipeline projects for irrigation water. `44 crore has been provided.
- ` 55 crore for National Horticulture Mission.
- To support cane growers an allocation `180 crore has been provided.
- Crop Residue Management `100 crore.
- A special project of `750 crore to improve the agricultural marketing.
- Gokul Gram at Bir Dosanjh is being established at a cost of `12.84 crore.
- ` 10 crore for a Buffalo Research Centre at Patti,
- New Cattle Feed Plant will be set up at Kapurthala at a cost of `13 crore.
- To modernize and expand the oldest sugar mill at Bhogpur `31 crore.
- `45.50 crore for the computerization of 3,537 PACS.
- Sports University at Patiala will be established.
- District Bureaus of Employment & Enterprises. Allocation `20 crore.
- `1440 crore to provide power at a variable cost of `5/- per unit to Industry.
- A Modern Focal Point at Nabha is being developed at a total cost of `55.40 crore.
- Industrial Focal Point at Phase IV-Ludhiana, Jalandhar, Bathinda and Mandi Gobindgarh, Khanna and Patiala will be upgraded.
- The state will also develop a dedicated Marble market, Transport Nagar and an Automobile Market in SAS Nagar (Mohali).
- To celebrate 550th birth anniversary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in 2019 an allocation `100 crore for preparatory arrangements for these celebrations.
- `10 crore for Sultanpur Lodhi and `10 crore for Dera Baba Nanak and `25 crore for Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.
- Setting up a memorial to commemorate the ‘Jaito Morcha during the freedom struggle.
- Special allocation provided for completion of Sardar Beant Singh memorial and Saragarhi Memorial, Ferozepur respectively.
- `1235 crore allocated under various welfare schemes for Educational, Socio-Economic & other Development.
- Enhance the grant under the Ashirwad scheme to `21,000 from `15,000. Budget allocation of `150 crore has been made.
- Post Matric scholarship: ` 860 crore.
- Reservation quota for backward classes increased from 5%to 10%. Family income limit increased from `6 lac to `8 lac per annum.
- Monthly pension enhanced to `750/- per month, `1634 crore allotted.
- Under the Integrated Child Development allocation of `696 crore.
- 300 units per month of power free to the Freedom Fighters to be continued.
- For completion of the Punjab State War Heroes Memorial and Museum at Amritsar `8 crore provided. In addition `10 crore provided for Sainik Schools.
- `3020 crore for Rural Development & Panchayats against an allocation of ` 1605 crore in 2017-18 BE, an increase of 88.20%.
- MGNREGA scheme will be converged with schemes of Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy to benefit at least 75000 households. `325 crore has been provided in the budget.
- Propose to construct 1597 additional class rooms to provide suitable learning environment for its students. `120 crore provided.
- Green boards: `21 crore will be spent during 2018-19 for all schools.
- Installation of RO systems in 1500 schools at an outlay of `9 crore.
- All Primary schools as well as all middle schools will be provided furniture. Allocation `23.14 crore.
- One existing school in every block will be converted into a smart school having state of the art facilities. Allocation `50 crore.
- Free sanitary napkins to all girl students from Class 6-12th in all government schools. `10 crore for this purpose has been provided.
- ‘Padho Punjab Padhao Punjab’ programme. `10 crore made to support the activities undertaken in the programme
- To provide all requisite text-books free of cost to students from Class 1st to 12th studying in Government schools during 2018-19. `49 crore provided.
- Ten new Degree Colleges will be opened, Budget allocation `30 crore.
- The total grant to Panjab University `42.62 crore in 2018-19 from the existing `33 crore.
- An additional one-time grant of `50 crore for Punjabi University, Patiala this year.
- 6% increase in Grant for all Universities.
- Punjab Naujawan Hunar Vikas Yojana `10 crore allocated
- National Health Mission (NHM), `914.57 crore proposed .18% higher against the last year allocation of `776.63 crore.
- To set up new hospitals at Doraha in Ludhiana and Ghanour in Patiala, and upgrade the existing Civil Hospital, Bathinda.
- New Highway Trauma Centres- `20 crore.
- Mukh Mantri Cancer Rahat Kosh, `30 crore proposed to provide financial assistance @ ` 1.50 lakh for free treatment to the cancer patient.
- State Cancer Institute at Amritsar costing `39 crore, and a Tertiary Cancer Care Centre at Fazilka costing `45 crore will also be constructed.
- A support of `25 crore will be provided to the Cancer and Drug De-addiction Treatment Infrastructure Board (CADA).
- Apart from this 600 more Heath and Wellness Centers will be taken up for strengthening and operationalization 2018-19. `22.50 crore proposed.
- For the National AYUSH mission, `24 crore proposed.
- Medical College at S.A.S. Nagar and two more Medical Colleges in the state.
- `73.34 proposed for the upgradation of Government Medical College Patiala and Government Medical College, Amritsar.
- To upgrade the Government Medical College, Faridkot and Advance Cancer Hospital Bathinda. `10 crore proposed.
- All Municipal Towns/areas would be made open defecation free under Swachh Bharat Mission. `100 crore provided
- A special assistance of `1540 crore will be availed from HUDCO to complete the balance works of water supply and sewerage schemes in 122 towns and cities .
- AMRUT Scheme: `500 crore for works such as water supply, sewerage, septage, urban transport and green parks for 16 towns 40.93 crore proposed to develop at least 1 park in each of these town
- For Smart Cities Mission (SCM). `500 crore provided.
- For Urban Transportation facilities, an Urban Transport Fund of around ` 75 crore will be constituted.
- 10,000 EWS dwelling units for eligible families. `335 crore for PMAY (U) and `38 crore for PSAY.
- Free power to farmers and subsidized power to SC, BC and Non SC-BPL category be continued. In addition, power to industry is being provided at a variable cost of ` 5/- per unit . `8950 crore made in the budget.
- PSPCL will also construct 800-1000 Ckt.-Km of transmission lines during the year at an estimated cost of `450 crore.
- `900 crore during the year 2018-19 for separation of AP feeders including Kandi area and strengthening of the Distribution System.
- For construction and maintenance of new roads, bridges and building outlay raised to `1067 crore.
- `100 crore for the ongoing New Judicial Court Complexes and other buildings.
- `230 crore for upgradation of 75 rural roads and 4 bridges with the assistance of NABARD.
- The State has got 5 roads as National Highways and work of upgradation of these roads shall be undertaken at an estimate cost of `1200 crore
- An amount of `315 crore for Up gradation, Construction & repair of Roads & Bridges which will also include the construction of Rail under Bridge at Gurdaspur, Rampuraphul, Gidderbaha, Morinda and Sujanpur, Rail Over Bridge at Dhakki, Mandi Gobindgarh, Malerkotla, Dina Nagar and Chugiti Lado Wali Road Jalandhar, High level Bridge at Talwara Jattan in Pathankot and Pantoon Bridges on river Satluj in Ferozepur and Sri Anandpur Sahib.
- `235 crore under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) to complete works at 410 Km. Roads.
- Provision of `300 crore for 19 works of Roads of Ropar, Fatehgarh Sahib, Barnala, Patiala, Amrtisar, Jalandhar, Muktsar, Fazilika, Faridkot and Tarn Taran benefiting 406 Km of Roads.
- `20 crore for maintaining the OPRC Network
- A special project for the repair of 16,000 kms of Link roads at the cost of around `2000 crore.
- We propose to take up the development of 16 new bus stands in PPP mode including those at Amritsar, Barnala, Batala, Bathinda, Balachaur, Dhuri, Mansa, Gurdaspur, Nakodar, Kartarpur, Patiala, Ludhiana, Sirhind, Jalandhar, Raikot and Ropar.
- `300 crore for the border areas in addition to `58.34 crore provided under the Centrally Sponsored Border Area Development Programme
- 800 habitations for augmentation of existing water supply schemes will be covered at an estimated cost of `600 crore.
- A proposal of `550 crore for coverage of quality habitations with canal based water supply schemes submitted to Government of India.
- Water Supply Infrastructure in 55 villages falling under the Kandi areas will be upgraded at a cost of `20 crore.
- `150 crore provided for Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin.
- To tackle water logging problem caused by Rajasthan Feeder canal and Sirhind Feeder canal. `152 crore provided.
- 60,729 hectares of water logged land in South Western districts will be desalinated and reclaimed through a special project. `145cr provided.
- Relining of Channels of Patiala Feeder and Kotla Branch.`19.80 crore and `11.68 Provided.
- Relining of Bist Doab `50 crore.
- Repair and Reconstruction of Distributaries /minors `66.50 crore.
- A special Lift Irrigation Scheme at a total outlay of `46 crore to boost agriculture in Sri Anandpur Sahib.
- For setting up of additional power generation capacity of 206 MW and to resume the construction work of Shahpurkandi Dam national project `70 crore.
- A strong Green initiative to present the Budget documents as a soft copy – meagre savings of `48 lakhs, but has saved 200 trees from being cut.