New Delhi: Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, who also holds the Finance portfolio in the Rajasthan cabinet, presented her government’s last budget before the state heads to polls later this year.
After crushing defeats in the Ajmer, Alwar and Mandalgarh bypolls at the hands of Congress, Raje went back to the basics – Bijli, Sadak, Pani – in her budget speech on Monday. The major announcement in the speech, however, was the waiving of interests on farm loans for farmers and the waiving of all loans up to Rs 50,000. The waiver will cost the exchequer Rs 8,000 crore.
The CM’s budget speech was disrupted several times by angry Congress legislators.
The budget session was off to a stormy start even before the CM’s speech as a Congress MLA shouted his opposition to the state government’s Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Bill, which the Congress has dubbed ‘Kala Kanoon’ (Black Law).
The speech was once again disrupted when the CM announced that the state would waive interest on all farm loans. Congress MLAs then created a furore in the house and demanded that a “sampoorna (complete)” loan waiver be announced.
As barbs were exchanged between BJP and Congress leaders in the house, the CM had to pause her speech and appeal to Congress MLAs to listen to the budget before protesting.
She then went on to say, “Farmers who have taken loans up to Rs 50,000 from cooperative banks till September 2017 will get a full loan waiver.”
She went on to announce several sops for farmers such as 7 lakh new power connections in rural areas. She also announced the setting up of an Agricultural University in Alwar District, where the BJP lost the bypolls earlier this month. She also said the wages of Anganwadi workers will be raised to Rs 6,000 per month.
In addition to loan and interest waiver, the other major focus of the Rajasthan state budget was road connectivity for remote areas, particularly those in Western Rajasthan.
Raje also said the government was planning to resolve the drinking water crisis in several parts of Rajasthan. The CM claimed the government will ensure that 27 districts of Rajasthan will get pure drinking water.
“26 water sources will be linked to solve the problem of lack of drinking water in 13 districts,” she said.
“Roads of 882 km are being built to connect Pali, Jodhpur and Nagaur districts. In 2018-19, all villages of Rajasthan will be connected via roads. Mega highways will be prepped for emergency landing services so that they can be used in case of natural disasters,” the CM said.
In another major announcement, Raje said that people over the age of 80 will be able to travel for free on a Rajasthan Roadways bus.
She even announced a reward of Rs 25 lakhs for Kamlesh Nagarkoti, hero of India’s ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup win, who hails from the state.
Raje also announced the start of an ‘Adarsh Madrassa Yojana’, which will see modernisation of 500 Madrassas across the state. Moreover, Nandi Gaushalas in each district will get a grant and will see the setting up of biogas plants. The government will also be setting up a mini-plant in Jaipur to process camel milk.
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