RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, March 3: Jharkhand’s finance minister Rameshwar Oraon presented a budget of Rs 1,16,418 crore for the financial year 2023-24 starting from April 1, 2023.
The budget size is Rs 15,317 crore more as compared to the previous year. The state’s budget in the last financial year 2022-23 was Rs 1,01,101 crore.
The salient features of the budget include Rs 3500 to every farmer family for drought relief, Rs 500 crore for removing silt from a pond of fewer than 5 acres to ensure proper irrigation facility, Rs 300 crore for Mukhyamantri Livestock Scheme, Rs 180 crore for a new dairy plant in Giridih and Jamshedpur and a milk power plant in Ranchi, Rs 1020 crore for MGNREGA under which there is the target of creation of 9 crore man days.
Other important features include Rs 3542 crore for the PM Housing scheme in rural areas, construction of an irrigation follicle in the land of 1 lakh farmers. The budget provides Rs 1964 crore for the water resources department having a mega irrigation project plan in Patamba and Palamu.
The budget provides Rs 1968 crore for Panchayati Raj having plans to start the Panchayat Secretary Accessory scheme under which a knowledge centre will be developed and a 65-inch LED TV will be installed.
For women’s and child’s development and security, the budget provides Rs 7171 crore. The amount will be used for payment of the universal pension scheme, rehabilitation of widows, starting Anganwadi Chalo Scheme, purchase of furniture for Anganwadi Kendra, construction of 800 new Anagandwadi centre, an increasing honorarium of Anganwadi workers, payment of Rs 6000 to each Anganwadi centre to fulfil small needs, purchase of smartphone for Anganwadi workers.
The budget provides Rs 985 crores for the labour and employment department, which has plans to strengthen and update the infrastructure of ITI and impart skill training to 1.40 lakh youths under the Mukhyamantri Sarathi Yojana.
The budget provides Rs 12546 crore for the school education and literacy department has the plan to open a residential school on the line of Netarhat Vidyalaya in Chaibasa, Dumka and Bokaro, build separate toilets for girls and boys in all the government schools and start primary education in Odiya and Bangla.
Budgetary allocation for higher and technical education departments is Rs 2354.53 crore. The department has planned to give the benefit of a Guruji Credit Card (for Higher Education) to 37000 children and make arrangements for free coaching under Chief Minister Education Promotion Scheme and Eklavya Training Scheme.
The budget provides Rs 7040.90 medical education department has plans to open Medical colleges in Bokaro and Ranchi, psychiatry centres in Palamu, Chaibasa and Dumka, an alcohol de-addiction centre in Ranchi, and new nursing and pharmacy college.
