State presents Rs 20K cr revenue deficit Budget

State presents Rs 20K cr revenue deficit Budget

Mumbai: State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Tuesday presented the Budget for 2019-20 with a deficit of Rs 20,292.94 crore, higher than last year’s deficit of Rs 14,960.04 crore. 

The interim Budget was presented in February. For fiscal 2019-20, the government has estimated revenue expenditure of Rs 3,34,933.06 crore against revenue receipts of Rs 3,14,640.12 crore.

Focus on agriculture
Keeping in mind the forthcoming Assembly elections and the frustration among the rural population over drought conditions, poor monsoon in 2018 and low prices of agriculture produce, Mungantiwar focused the Budget on agriculture and allied business. 

He said Rs 1,531 crore has been allocated for irrigation projects. He said the State has started ‘Baliraja Jal Sanjivani Yojana’ with financial assistance from the Centre for farmers. This scheme covers 91 projects which include 83 minor projects, 3 major and minor projects in Marathwada and Vidarbha and 5 projects in the rest of Maharashtra. 

Further, Rs 12,597 crore was allocated to complete the work of pipeline distribution network. He announced funds of Rs 210 crore for members of farmers’ families so they benefit from Gopinath Munde Farmer Accident Insurance Scheme. Further Rs 3,397 crore has been allocated for the farmers. 

Rs 350 crore has been reserved for micro-irrigation and Rs 100 crore for group farming. 

To give farmers direct access to the market and all necessary infrastructure in the value chain of sale of farm produce, the State of Maharashtra Agribusiness and Rural Transformation (SMART) will be implemented with the help of the World Bank. This project costs around Rs 2,220 crore. 

He announced Rs 100 crore for cashew processing industries. The rise in subsidy has been announced for milk producer farmers. Mobile veterinary clinics have been proposed in remote hilly and tribal areas at an estimate of Rs 16.74 crore. 

Farm loan waiver
Mungantiwar said the government is committed to giving loan waivers to the farmers. He said the government launched the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana in 2018 under which, Rs 24,120 crore has been sanctioned for 51 lakh farmers. Mungantiwar said the State Government is implementing the schemes for dredging reservoirs and waterways with people’s participation. Under these schemes, 3.23 crore cubic metre silt has been dredged from 5,270 reservoirs. The nutrient-rich soil was distributed among 31,150 farmers. For 2019-20, an outlay of Rs.3,182 crore has been proposed.

Infrastructure
The government has estimated a target of 30,000 km roads under Chief Minister Gram Sadak Yojana. The expected cost of the project is Rs 18,150 crore. Till date, the administrative approval has been given for 29,076 km road out of which 8,819 km road has been completed and rest of the work is in progress. A loan of Rs 4,254 crore will be made available by Asia Development Bank. 

Samruddhi Expressway, a new bridge on Sion-Panvel highway (cost Rs 775,58 crore) has been sanctioned. Bandra Versova Coastal Road (cost RS 11,332 crore) is in progress. Mumbai Transharbour Road of 22 km has been taken up by the MMRDA and Rs 17,843 crore is expected to be spent on this. To reduce the distance between Mumbai and Pune, the Expressway repair is proposed and Rs 6,695 crore cost expected and the work is in progress.   

Special attention given to the Dhangar community with proposed outlay of Rs 1,000 crore to implement 22 schemes for the tribal community. With an agenda of economic growth for the upcoming Assembly polls, considerable increase has been made in expenditure on schemes for senior citizens, widows and the disabled. 

Staring at stagnant economic growth as predicted by the Economic Survey, the government has proposed to revive the Maharashtra Economic Development Council. “It is being done to achieve the goal of one trillion USD economy for Maharashtra by 2025,” said  Mungantiwar. 

Budget highlights
Farming

  • Soil and water conservation - Rs 3,182 crore
  • Water resources - Rs 12,597 crore

Agro sector

  • Micro-irrigation - Rs 380 crore
  • Accident insurance for farmers - Rs 210 crore
  • Agricultural universities for research - Rs 600 crore
  • Group farming - Rs 100 crore
  • Cashew process project - Rs100 crore
  • Farmers’ co-operative societies - Rs 500 crore 
  • Bhavantar Yojana - Rs 390 crore 

Infrastructure 

  • Mumbai-Pune Expressway - Rs 6,695 crore
  • Samruddhi Expressway - Rs 55,335 crore.
  • Thane creek on Sion Panvel Highway - Rs 775,58 crore

Social sector

  • Houses for disabled - Rs 100 crore.
  • Gaothan settlement projects - Rs 374 crore
  • Memorials Ahilyadevi Holkar Assembly hall - Rs 35.64 crore
  • Development of pilgrim places - Rs 50 crore 
  • 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi - Rs 150 crore

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