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HP Budget 2019-20 Highlights
Shimla-Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Saturday presented the Annual Budget for the Year 2019-20 in HP Vidhan Sabha.
As per the revised estimates for 2018-19, total revenue receipts are expected to be Rs. 31 thouand, 189 crore against the budget estimates of Rs. 30 thousand, 400 crore. Total revenue expenditure as per revised estimates for 2018-19 is expected to be Rs. 33 thousand, 408 crore against the budget estimates of Rs. 33 thousand, 568 crore. Thus the total revenue deficit is expected to be Rs. 2 thousand, 219 crore as per revised estimates, which is Rs. 949 crore less than the budget estimates for 2018-19. The fiscal deficit is expected to be Rs. 7 thousand, 786 crore as per the revised estimates for 2018-19 which is 5.14 percent of the Gross Budget Estimates 71 State Domestic Product. The fiscal deficit as percentage of GSDP was estimated at 5.16 percent in the budget estimates for 2018-19.
This deficit is expected to be covered by net borrowings of Rs. 4 thousand, 546 crore during 2018-19, which will be within the Fiscal Responsibility and Budget Management Act (FRBM) approved limit.
During 2019-20, total revenue receipts are estimated at Rs. 33 thousand, 747 crore, whereas total revenue expenditure is estimated to be Rs. 36 thousand, 089 crore. Thus total revenue deficit is estimated at Rs. 2 thousand, 342 crore. Fiscal deficit is estimated to be Rs. 7 thousand, 352 crore which is 4.35 percent of the Gross State Domestic Product. The difference between the receipts and the expenditure will be made good through net borrowings, which are estimated at Rs. 5 thousand and 69 crore during 2019-20. These borrowings will be in accordance with the obligations under the FRBM Act.
Out of every hundred rupees to be spent by the Government, Rs. 27.84 will be spent on salaries, Rs. 15 on pension, Rs.10.25 on interest payment, Rs. 7.35 on loan repayment and Rs.39.56 will be spent on development works and other activities.
No new taxes have been proposed in the budget estimates for the year 2019-20.
Read Highlights of HP Budget 2019-20
- Nearly 20,000 functional posts will be filled-up. New pay-scales will be granted after recommendations of the Punjab Pay Commission.
- The State Government’s contribution of 10 percent under NPS will be increased to 14 percent.
- Necessary changes will be made in the policy for giving employment on compassionate grounds.
- DA to employees and DR to pensioners at the rate of 4 percent will be given from 1st July, 2018.
- 83 Class-IV employees who have completed 20 years of service and are already getting a grade pay of Rs.1,900 will be eligible for another increment
- 10 percent reservation will be provided to the general category in employment and educational institutions.
- The outlay for the Annual Plan 2019-20 will be Rs.7,100 crore.
- The limit for posing projects to NABARD for funding MLA Priority Schemes will be increased to Rs.105 crore per Assembly Constituency.
- Outlay under Vidhayak Kshetra Vikas Nidhi Yojna will be increased to Rs.1.50 crore per Assembly Constituency.
- The Discretionary Grant per MLA will be increased to Rs.8 lakh. Hon’ble MLAs will be able to recommend sports material and equipment worth Rs.25, 000 per registered Yuvak Mandal out of Vidhayak Kshetra Vikas Nidhi Yojna.
- This grant for Mahila Mandals will also be increased to Rs.25,000.
- An annual Loktantre Prehari Samman Rashi of Rs.11,000 will be given to the persons arrested under MISA during emergency.
- 74 Additional 136 G2C Services will be automated and linked with e-District Portal. State of Art Command and Control Centre will be setup in the State.
- Mukhya Mantri Help Line will be established. MyGov portal will be started to establish contact between the Government and public.
- The State Government will supplement the Central Government’s “Ujjwala” Yojna by providing one free cylinder, gas stove and pipe from its own resources.
- One additional LPG refill cylinder will be provided free to the beneficiaries of Himachal Grihani Suvidha Yojna and Ujjwala Yojna.
- Barbed Wire and Chain Link will be provided at 50 percent subsidy under Mukhya Mantri Khet Sanrakshan Yojna.
- 50 percent subsidy will be provided for purchasing Cows of indigenous breed to promote natural farming.
- Electricity charges being paid by farmers for irrigation will be reduced to 50 paisa per unit.
- A scheme “Doubling of Farmers’ Income through Water Conservation and other Activities” will be started with the assistance of Asian Development Bank.
- Nadaun Medium Irrigation Scheme will be completed and commissioned. Pace will be provided to execution 75 of Phina Singh Medium Irrigation Scheme.
- The execution of Swan River Flood Management Project and Chhonch Khad Channelization Project will be speeded up.
- A scheme “Himachal Pradesh Flood and River Management Project” with the first phase costing Rs.1,235 crore and second phase costing Rs.1,850 crore will be started with external assistance.
- The compensation under “Mukhya Mantri Kisan Avam Khetihar Majdoor Jeevan Suraksha Yojna” will be doubled.
- A new “Mukhya Mantri Nutan Poly House Project” with a total cost of Rs.150 crore will be started.
- The outlay for Anti Hail Nets will be doubled to Rs.20 crore.
- “Mukhya Mantri Khumb Vikas Yojna” will be started.
- “Himachal Pradesh Sub Tropical Horticulture, Irrigation and Value Addition (SHIVA)” project with a total cost of Rs.1,688 will be started with external assistance.
- Breeding farm for Sahiwal and Red Sindhi Cows will be established with a total cost of Rs.11 crore and Embryo Transfer Technology will be used for their breeding.
- Goats will be provided at a subsidy of 85 percent to the farmers living below poverty line.
- Sheep of improved breeds will be imported. A farm for Murrah buffaloes and Gokul Gram will be set-up.
- Additional processing capacity of 50,000 litre per day will be installed in Duttnagar and Chakkar Milk Processing Plant.
- 76 Milk procurement price will be enhanced by Rs.2 per litre.
- 100 Trout Units and Carp Fish Ponds in 10 hectare will be constructed.
- Retail fish outlets will be established in Kangra, Chamba and Shimla and Insurance cover will be provided to Trout units.
- Honorarium of elected representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions will be increased. Honorarium of Panchayat Chowkidar will be increased to Rs.4,500.
- Mukhya Mantri Gram Kaushal Yojna will be started.
- The State Government will provide uniform financial assistance of Rs.20,000 for house construction for the poor out of its own resources, in addition to assistance currently being provided, both in rural and urban areas.
- The subsidy for repair of houses under “Mukhya Mantri Aawas Yojna” will be increased.
- A new scheme “Ek Buta Beti Ke Naam” will be started. SMS based alert system will be started to fight forest fires.
- 25 Small Scale Industries will be established using pine needles as raw material.
- A new “Mukhya Mantri Green Technology Transfer Scheme” will be started.
- Integrated Cooperative Development Project will be started in Una and Chamba Districts.
- 250 Auditors will 77 be empanelled for undertaking audit of the Cooperative Societies.
- A grant of Rs.15,000 will be provided to the forest personnel in 200 sensitive beats for procuring arms.
- The honorarium to elected Members of the Urban Local Bodies will be increased.
- State Disaster Response Force will be setup. 500 habitations will be provided with safe drinking water supply.
- “Mukhya Mantri Swajal Yojna” will be started to provide up to 50 metre of pipe at a subsidy of 50 percent to the weaker sections of the society.
- The honorarium of the Water Guards, Pump Fitters and Para Fitters in Irrigation and Public Health Department will be increased.
- Functional posts in the department will be filled up on need basis.
- The Government will bring out a new Micro Small and Medium Industrial Policies.
- Global Investors Summit will be held in Dharamshala.
- The age limit and investment limit under “Mukhya Mantri Swablamban Yojna” will be increased.
- A new “Mukhya Mantri Dastkar Sahayata Yojna” will be started. 78 Industrial areas in Channour, Gehrwin and Basouli Bangarh will be set-up.
- Hydel Projects with an installed capacity of 500 MW will be commissioned.
- Execution of Chanju-3 and Deothal Chanju projects will be commenced.
- A new “Mukhya Mantri Roshni Yojna” will be started to help poor families getting electricity connection without payment of service charges.
- A subsidy of Rs.475 crore will be provided to HPSEB Ltd.
- A new tourism policy will be brought out and Master Plan for promoting Eco-Tourism will be prepared.
- Pong Area Development Board will be set up. “Shiv Dham” will be established in Mandi district to attract tourists.
- Tourism Infrastructure Development Project with a cost of Rs.1,892 crore will be started with the assistance of an external funding agency.
- Rs.100 crore will be provided for “Kaushal Vikas Bhatta Yojna.”
- Integrated Public Transport Management System will be introduced in HRTC.
- A new electric vehicle policy will be brought out. 79 Non-conventional material and new technique approved by the Indian Road Congress will be used for construction and maintenance of roads on pilot basis.
- 750 kilometres new roads, culverts/small bridges on 850 kilometres of road length, 1,500 kilometres of tarred roads and 50 bridges will be constructed which will connect 50 new villages.
- Annual turnover limit for GST registration will be increased to Rs.40 lakh and composition turnover limit will be increased to Rs.1.50 crore.
- A mobile App and an online facility will be introduced to deposit CGCR, PGT and AGT.
- Video conference facility will be setup in schools. 15 new Atal Aadarsh Vidya Kendras will be started in various Assembly Constituencies.
- A new CV Raman Virtual Classrooms Yojna will be started.
- A new “Khel Se Swasthya” Yojna will be started in educational institutions.
- A new “Atal Nirmal Jal Yojna” will be started to provide water filters in schools.
- Skill Development assistance will be provided to disabled persons under a new scheme “Navdharana”.
- 50 ITIs will be modernized which will enable intake of 5,500 additional students.
- Two large playgrounds with Gym facilities per Assembly Constitutency to be constructed under ‘Mukhya Mantri Yuva Nirman Yojna’.
- A new “Khel Kood Pratibha Khoj Karyakram” will be started.
- A new “Mukhya Mantri Kalakar Protsahan Yojna” will be started.
- Free Lap-Tops to be provided to State and district level accredited journalists.
- The financial assistance under “Patrakaar Kalyan Yojna” will be doubled.
- 500 Health Sub Centres and 125 Primary Health Centres will be upgraded to Health and Wellness Centres.
- 12 Health Institutions will be upgraded under “Sampuran Swasthya Yojna”.
- Cath Lab will be established in Lal Bahadur Shastri Medical College Mandi and Dr. Y.S. Parma Medical College, Nahan.
- Digital Subtraction Angiography Machine will be setup in IGMC, Shimla
- 81 New SAHARA scheme to provide financial assistance to patients belonging to weaker sections of the society and suffering from serious ailments requiring prolonged treatment and after care.
- The diet allowance to the HIV-AIDS infected persons will be increased to Rs.1, 500 per month
- The assistance under “Janani Suraksha Yojna” will be increased to Rs.1, 100.
- Mobile Diagnostic Vans will be introduced to diagnose and prevent breast and cervical cancer.
- Honorarium of ASHA workers will be increased.
- Free Health Insurance cover under HIMCARE for MGNREGA workers, who have completed atleast 50 days of wage employment, and widows drawing social security pension.
- Subsidised health insurance cover for outsourced employees.
- Widows less than 45 years of age will be assisted in upgrading their skills and getting employment.
- Reservation in admissions in ITIs and Nursing Institutions will be provided to them.
- After Care Homes will be established for the orphans completing the age of 18 years.
- They will also be provided training.
- Honorarium of the Anganwari workers, Mini Anganwari Workers and Anganwari helpers will be increased. 82.
- The social security pension of more than 5 lakh pensioners of the State will be increased.
- War Memorial will be constructed in Nurpur. The financial assistance for undergoing SSB coaching will be increased to Rs.12,000.
- 100 police chowkis of the State will be designated as Reporting Police Chowkis so that FIRs can be registered in them.
- Head Constables will be authorized to investigate Excise Crime.
- Graduate Police Constable will also be authorized to investigate certain offences.
- “Yuva Navjeevan Board” will be setup to develop a coordinated strategy to deal with trafficking and consumption of narcotics.
- Five de-addiction and rehabilitation centres will also be established.
- 73 Many targets under the Sustainable Development Goals will be achieved by 2022 instead of 2030.
Read Detailed HP Budget 2019-20
Solan—In a shocking incident on Monday, an 18-year-old youth, Pravesh, survived a vicious leopard attack in Sarli village of Arki subdivision. The teenager reportedly fought the leopard for nearly 12 minutes before breaking its jaw, killing the animal on the spot.
Quick Thinking Saved His Life
Pravesh told the media that he was walking from the fields to a nearby shop in the morning to fetch milk when the leopard, hidden in the crops, lunged at him. Noticing the leopard’s tail, he attempted to run but fell after a short distance. During the attack, he covered his neck with his hands to protect himself from fatal bites.
The teenager continued to struggle with the leopard, repeatedly attempting to put distance between himself and the predator. In a desperate move, he grabbed the leopard by its mouth, twisted its jaw, and broke it, killing the animal instantly. Pravesh sustained multiple injuries, including deep claw marks, and is currently receiving treatment at Arki Hospital. Police and forest department teams have launched an investigation into the incident.
Serious Allegations of HP Forest Department’s Negligence
One of Pravesh’s relatives accused the forest department of negligence, noting that similar attacks had occurred in the area previously.
Earlier, a leopard had attempted to attack a scooter rider, who managed to escape. The family said they had informed the forest department on March 6 about potential danger, but no concrete action was taken. Villagers waited for three hours for a forest team to arrive, but none came. When the Block Officer eventually visited, he reportedly told villagers to ensure their own safety. Requests for cages to capture the leopard were also denied, with officials asking for written complaints instead.
SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rainfall across Himachal Pradesh over the next two weeks, with isolated heavy to very heavy showers likely over the low hills, plains, and adjoining mid-hill regions. While the ongoing monsoon remains vital for agriculture, it also brings an elevated risk of localized flooding and landslides.
Week of August 8–14
Maximum temperatures will range from 22°C to 34°C, depending on elevation—22°C to 28°C in high hills, 26°C to 30°C in mid-hills, and up to 34°C in lower regions. Minimum temperatures are expected to remain near normal, between 12°C and 24°C. Cooler conditions may persist in districts like Kullu and Lahaul-Spiti.
Week of August 15–21
Similar rainfall patterns are expected to continue, with scattered heavy rain episodes. Temperature trends will remain stable, though slightly below-normal maximum temperatures are likely in parts of Lahaul-Spiti, Mandi, Kangra, and Kullu districts.
Outlook for Late August
Rainfall is expected to remain broadly normal, with region-specific variations. Districts such as Kinnaur, Shimla, and Sirmaur may see below-normal precipitation, while Una, Kangra, Hamirpur, Bilaspur, and Solan are likely to receive above-average rainfall. Both maximum and minimum temperatures are forecast to stay close to seasonal norms.
Officials at the Meteorological Centre in Shimla have urged residents and local authorities to remain alert for sudden heavy downpours, which could disrupt road connectivity and trigger landslides—especially along vulnerable hillside routes. Past monsoon episodes have blocked key highways, including routes between Mandi and Kullu and near Banjar, underscoring the ongoing challenges in the region.
This advisory comes as Himachal Pradesh continues to face the dual pressures of sustaining its agriculture-dependent economy while managing the life and infrastructure risks posed by an active monsoon. Continued vigilance and preparedness remain crucial.
SHIMLA | 7 August 2025 –Himachal Pradesh continues to deal with the impacts of the 2025 monsoon season, reporting extensive property damage, loss of lives, and widespread disruptions across the state. According to the official reports from the State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), the Department of Revenue, and the India Meteorological Department, from June 20 to August 6, 2025, heavy monsoon rains caused significant damage across multiple districts:
- Casualties: 199 deaths due to landslides, flash floods, cloudbursts, drowning, lightning, electrocution, and accidents; 304 injuries reported.
- Property Loss: Extensive damage to houses (both pucca and kaccha), shops, factories, labor sheds, animal shelters, and substantial crop losses in agriculture and horticulture.
- Public Infrastructure: Over ₹1,900 crore in damages to roads (including PWD), power supply, health, education, fisheries, rural and urban development, and animal husbandry.
Most affected districts include Mandi, Kangra, and Hamirpur, with severe crop and infrastructure losses.
Additionally, 91 deaths occurred due to monsoon-related road accidents.
Public Utilities and Infrastructure Disruptions
The SEOC report dated August 7, 2025, highlights ongoing disruptions:
- Roads Blocked: About 493 major roads and 3 national highways (NH-305, NH-21, NH-05) remain blocked by landslides and floods.
- Power Supply: Disruption of 1,120 distribution transformers (DTRs).
- Water Supply: 245 water schemes affected, threatening access to potable water for communities.
Key blockages include NH-21 between Mandi and Kullu and NH-305 near Banjar and Jhed.
Weather Forecast and Warnings
The India Meteorological Department’s forecast valid from August 7, 2025, includes:
- Isolated heavy rainfall expected throughout the week.
- Thunderstorms and lightning predicted in isolated areas.
- Minimum temperatures near normal or slightly below.
- Maximum temperatures showing a moderate increase.
The public is urged to remain vigilant due to the risks of further landslides and flash floods.
Himachal Pradesh remains vulnerable as the monsoon season continues, with thousands affected by damage, displacement, and disruption of essential services. Authorities are continuing with rescue and recovery operations and are urging residents to stay alert to the ongoing adverse weather. This situation highlights the pressing need for enhanced infrastructure and disaster management strategies to mitigate monsoon-related risks.
Himachal’s LPG Supply Hit Amid Global Tensions, Likely to Affect Hospitality Industry
Himachal Teen Survives 12-Minute Leopard Attack, Kills Predator in Self-Defense
Weather Forecast for Himachal Pradesh For the Next Two Weeks
Monsoon 2025: Himachal Pradesh Suffers 199 Casualties, Over ₹1,905.50 Cr in Damages
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