The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday presented a ₹77,407.08 crore budget for 2023-24, with focus mainly on education, youth welfare and health infrastructure development.
Uttarakhand Finance Minister Prem Chand Aggarwal said it is an inclusive budget which reaches out to the last man on the street, youth, farmers and women, and gives priority to the deprived.
The budget, tabled in the state assembly on the third day of the ongoing session, has made the largest allocation of ₹10,459.55 crore for education and youth welfare followed by the health department which has received an allocation of ₹4,217.87 crore.
The session is taking place in the state's summer capital Gairsain.
"Making better healthcare facilities available to the common people is our priority. Uttarakhand is the first state in the country where every family enjoys the facility of cashless or free treatment under Atal Ayushman Yojana for which an allocation of ₹400 crore has been made in the budget," Mr. Aggarwal said .
An allocation of ₹3,343 crore has been made for civic bodies and ₹2,850 crore for social welfare, women and child welfare departments.
The PWD has received a budgetary allocation of ₹2,791.83 crore.
The budget has a revenue surplus of ₹4,309.55 crore. There is an increase of 18.05% in this year's total budget expenditure and a rise of 21.16% in capital expenditure compared to last year.
"The budget reflects our commitment to the goal of building a leading Uttarakhand by the year 2025. It is focused on boosting development of basic infrastructure, expanding the green cover and promoting entrepreneurship," the minister said.
According to him, the budget puts emphasis on investment in the human capital, increase in capital expenditure, better availability of healthcare facilities, technology based development, and coordination between ecology and economy.
Mr. Aggarwal began his speech by greeting the house in Garhwali.
An amount of ₹1,294.15 crore has been allocated for agriculture, out of which ₹20 crore has been earmarked for the promotion of local produce and ₹15 crore for the state's millet mission.
A budgetary provision of ₹1,000 crore has been made for relief measures in land-subsidence hit towns, including Joshimath.
A total allocation of ₹1,251. crore has been made for the electricity department. Out of the total amount, ₹500 crore has been set aside for the Lakhwar power project.
For the development of infrastructure in different government departments a provision of ₹1,300 crore has also been made in the budget.
