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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
Detailed-HP-Budget-2019-20
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HP Cabinet Decisions: Eligibility Criteria for BPL List, Special Task Force to Combat Drug Abuse & Other Decisions
Shimla-The Himachal Pradesh Cabinet, in its meeting held on Thursday, approved the inclusion of the following families in the BPL list:
- Families with no adult members between the ages of 18 and 59.
- Women-headed families.
- Families whose head has a disability of 50 per cent or more.
- Families that worked for at least 100 days under MNREGA in the previous financial year.
- Families whose earning members are suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, muscular dystrophy, thalassemia, or any other condition resulting in permanent disability.
The Cabinet also approved the establishment of a Special Task Force to combat drug abuse and dismantle drug trafficking and organized crime networks in the state through a comprehensive and multi-faceted approach.
Additionally, the Cabinet decided to promulgate an ordinance to amend Schedule 1A of the Indian Stamp Act of 1899. This amendment will facilitate the levy of a uniform stamp duty rate of 12 per cent on transfer and lease transactions secured under Section 118(2)(H) of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972, with prior approval from the State Government.
The Cabinet approved a ban on the felling of trees, except for Safeda, Poplar, Bamboo, and Khair (for sale), in accordance with a ten-year program.
The Cabinet reiterated its request to the Government of India to adopt a 90:10 funding formula for the power component of the Kishau Multipurpose Project, similar to the formula adopted for its water component. Alternatively, the Cabinet proposed providing a 50-year interest-free loan for the entire amount payable by the State Government for the power component under the Inter-State Agreement.
It approved the establishment of a 1 MW Green Hydrogen Project in Nalagarh, to be executed by HPPCL.
The Cabinet sanctioned the imposition of Green Energy Development Charges for Pumped Storage Projects. A charge of ₹2.5 lakh per MW per year will be levied for the first 10 years after the project’s commissioning, increasing to ₹5 lakh per MW per year thereafter.
Approval was given to introduce the Himachal Pradesh Sadbhawana Legacy Cases Resolution Scheme 2025 to resolve pending cases, litigations, and arrears under subsumed enactments such as VAT, CST, Entry Tax, etc.
The Cabinet decided to designate the area surrounding the Tara Devi Temple in Shimla district as a Green Area.
It approved the creation and filling of 10 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts for the Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission, Shimla.
The Cabinet selected the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, to conduct computer-based tests for the recruitment of Group-C posts through the Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog, Hamirpur.
Approval was granted for creating the Block Primary Education Office at Rohnat by bifurcating the existing Block Primary Education Office at Shilai in the Sirmaur district.
The Cabinet decided to transfer three-gram panchayats — Matyal, Kudal, and Dhadol — from Development Block Lambagaon to Development Block Baijnath in Kangra district to serve the residents of these areas better.
The Cabinet approved the Baddi-Barotiwala-Nalagarh Development Authority Land Pooling Policy-2025.
It also approved the establishment of the Himachal Pradesh State Water Informatics Centre to collect data from domain-specific bodies, develop new databases, and disseminate comprehensive water-related information.
Shimla– Himachal Pradesh Government has initiated action against Zila Parishad cadre employees, who have been on strike since September 30 over their demands for a merger with the Panchayati Raj Department. To start with, the Govt has terminated the services of 167 Junior Engineers (JEs) and ordered fresh recruitment of Diploma or Degree holders in Civil Engineering.
According to the Director, Panchayati Raj Department, Rugved Milind Thakur, notifications have been issued to the Chief Executive Officers of Zila Parishad and the Deputy Commissioners regarding the same.
Earlier, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, in a statement to the media, had said that at a time when the State was hit by a natural disaster and is in the middle of carrying out relief work and rehabilitation of the affected people was not an appropriate time for such strike. He further added that the demands of these Zila Parishad employees would be attended to when conditions are suitable. He had added that the employees wouldn’t get anywhere by using pressure tactics against the State Government.
The Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister Anirudh Singh had maintained the same argument and urged the employees to end the strike and get back to work because their absence was obstructing relief work. Anirudh Singh argued that the HP Government was serious about the demands of the employees, but their merger will have to go through various stages in accordance with the rules and legal procedure. This process would take time, he said. However, the Minister also failed to convince the striking employees to get back to work.
A few days back, a spokesperson of the HP Panchayati Raj Department had issued a statement, which said,
“Absence of technical staff was causing delayed wage payment to the MGNREGS workers as well as hampering development works being undertaken for disaster relief and restoration. A special package has been announced by the state government for the disaster-affected families. Under this package, reconstruction of houses and cowsheds and other relief and rehabilitation works, conservation activities of agriculture and horticulture land, etc. were to be done. But these works are being affected due to the absence of technical staff.”
The Department had also sought details from all the Chief Executive Officers of the Zila Parishads regarding the absence of employees in view of the delay in developmental and disaster relief works by October 18, 2023. The government termed their absence as unauthorized.
The Department said that it was taking all necessary steps to deal with the situation arising due to the absence of certain categories of employees.
“There should not be any unnecessary delay in disaster relief and rehabilitation works and the Panchayati Raj Department was determined to ensure all assistance and other benefits to the affected families on time,” the Spokesperson said in a statement.
The Department had also handed over the charge of Panchayat Secretaries temporarily to Gram Rozgar Sevaks, Sewing Teachers, and Panchayat Chowkidars. They were also given financial powers. The Panchayati Raj Department justified that these alternative arrangements were helping to restore the issuance of certificates and other routine works of the Gram Panchayats.
However, the striking employees on Friday said the alternative arrangements weren’t working at all, thus, causing a huge inconvenience to the people. The employees said that the decision of the government to sack the JEs has not affected their strike, and it will go on indefinitely till their demand for merger is met.
Why Zila Parishad Employees Are on A Strike
4,700 Zila Parishad cadre employees have been on indefinite pen-down strike since September 30, stalling the routine functions of Zila Parishads. The main demand of the Zila Parishad cadre employees is the merger with the Panchayati Raj Department so that they could avail benefits on a par with the employees of the other government departments.
These employees also said that despite a poll promise before the elections to the State Assembly, the current Congress government was denying them the new pay scale.
These employees argued that they were suffering financial loss, and they were not receiving dearness allowance (DA) and arrears while other employees were getting these benefits.
The employees are also demanding regularization under the contract policy. The strike has also received support from Panchayat representatives.
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HP Cabinet Decisions: Construction in Shimla’s Green Belt Areas Permitted, Special Relief Package Approved
Shimla-Himachal Pradesh Cabinet on Wednesday held a meeting under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu. Here are the decisions taken by the Cabinet:
Approval to Construction in Shimla’s Green Belt Areas
The Cabinet also decided to amend the Shimla Development Plan and construction would be permitted in green belt area lying above the road, from Navbahar to Ram Chandra Chowk to Machhiwali Kothi to Christ Church to Lakkar Bazar to IGMC to Sanjauli Chowk to Navbhar where there are no trees.
As per the Government, residential construction in the Green Belt area as per the Shimla Development Plan will be permitted only on those plots in which there are no trees.
It also decided to amend HP Town and Country Planning Rules to allow construction at a distance of 5 meters and 7 meters from Nallah and khad respectively.
The Cabinet decided to provide two Biswas of land in urban areas and three Biswas of land in rural areas who have been rendered homeless and those who are not left with land suitable for the construction of new houses.
HP Govt’s Special Package Approved
Nod was given a Special Relief Package for the disaster-affected families in the State as announced on 30th September 2023 by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu.Under the Special Package:
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- The compensation of Rs. 1.30 lakh for a completely damaged house would be increased five and a half times to Rs. 7 lakh.
- The compensation of Rs. 4,000 for partial damage to a ‘kutcha’ house would be increased by 25 times to Rs. 1 lakh, while the compensation for partial damage to a ‘pucca’ house to be increased by 15 and a half times, from Rs 6500 to Rs. 1 lakh.
- Compensation of Rs. 25,000 given in case of damage to a shop or dhaba would also be enhanced four times to rupees one lakh.
- The HP Government will also provide increased financial assistance of Rs. 50 thousand instead of Rs. 3000 for damage to the cowshed. T
- The state government will provide assistance of Rs. 50 thousand for damage or loss to the belongings of the tenants thereby marking a 20 times increase, from the existing Rs. 2500.
- For the loss of large milch and draught animals compensation of Rs. 55000 and for goat, pig, sheep and lamb Rs. 6000 per animal compensation would be provided.
- The compensation of Rs. 3615 per bigha for damage to agricultural and horticultural land would be increased to Rs. 10 thousand.
- The compensation on crop loss of Rs. 500 per bigha is to be increased eight times to Rs.4000.
- The financial assistance for removing silt from agricultural and horticultural land is to be enhanced from Rs. 1384.61 per bigha to Rs. 5000.
This special package would be granted from 24th June 2023 to 30th September 2023.
‘Van Mitra’ Scheme Approved
The Cabinet approved the Forest Department ‘Van Mitra’ Scheme. Under this scheme, one ‘Van Mitra’ each, in 2061 Forest Beats would be engaged. It also decided to fill up 100 vacant posts of Forest Guards in the Forest Department on a contractual basis.
It decided to enhance the honorarium of Jal Rakshaks, Multi-Purpose Workers, para fitters and para pump operators of Jal Shakti Vibhag by Rs. 500 per month raising it to Rs. 5000, Rs. 4400, Rs. 6000 and Rs. 6000 respectively.
Chintpurni Passenger Ropeway
The Cabinet approved in principle to establish a passenger ropeway system from Chintpurni Baba Mai Dass Bhawan Parking to Chintpurni Temple in PPP mode in district Una with a cost of Rs. 76.50 crore.
It also gave its approval to hire 15 e-taxis in the Transport Department.
It decided to promote Amateur and Community Radios for ‘Alternate Communication during emergencies in all districts of the State. This would provide effective information exchange between information sources, emergency managers and those impacted by disaster or emergent situations.
The Cabinet decided to reduce the Additional Goods Tax on lead by 25 paise per kg.
It also accorded approval to grant 234 routes for private operators and additional 100 routes for tempo travelers to provide better transport facilities to the people of the State.
It also gave its approval for declaring Traffic Inspectors, Motor Vehicles Inspectors, Senior Motor Vehicle Inspectors of the Transport department and Assistant Sub Inspector and Head Constable of the Police Department as designed authority to compound the offences under various Sections of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.
HP Cabinet Decisions: Eligibility Criteria for BPL List, Special Task Force to Combat Drug Abuse & Other Decisions
HP Govt Takes Action Against Striking Zila Parishad Employees, Orders Fresh Recruitment
HP Cabinet Decisions: Construction in Shimla’s Green Belt Areas Permitted, Special Relief Package Approved
Himachal Aims to be India’s First Green Energy State by 2025
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