DT
PT
Subscribe To Print Edition About The Tribune Code Of Ethics Download App Advertise with us Classifieds
search-icon-img
search-icon-img
Advertisement

Union Budget: Chandigarh share up 7.21%, focus on development

Rs 143 cr more for infra upgrade, Cash-strapped civic body gets Rs 625 cr grant-in-aid
  • fb
  • twitter
  • whatsapp
  • whatsapp
featured-img featured-img
Experts watch the Union Budget telecast at the CII office in Chandigarh. TRIBUNE PHOTO: RAVI KUMAR
Advertisement

There has been a 7.21% increase in the allocation for Chandigarh in the Union Budget 2025-26 compared to the previous fiscal estimates. The total allocation is Rs 469.56 crore more than Rs 6,513.62 crore — the budget estimates for the past year.

This year estimates for the UT have been pegged at Rs 6,983.18 crore, including Rs 6,185.18 crore for revenue and Rs 798 crore for capital expenditure, in the Budget presented in Parliament by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today.

Terming the Budget 2025-26 a historic step, Punjab Governor and UT Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sitharaman for the provisions, which would benefit the poor, farmers and the middle class.

Advertisement

He said, “In my 40 years of public life, this is the first time I have witnessed such a significant support for the middle class through tax exemptions and other incentives. This is highly commendable and a welcome step. This budget marks an important milestone in the empowerment of all sections of society.”

Advertisement

Kataria also expressed gratitude for the budgetary provisions made for the city’s development. He emphasised the Central Government’s commitment to modernising the city infrastructure and prioritising its overall growth will greatly benefit its residents.

Major allocations include Rs 1,206.36 crore for the education sector, Rs 987.37 crore for health, Rs 984.85 crore for energy, Rs 958.79 crore for police, Rs 884.31 crore for housing and urban development and Rs 445.84 crore for the transport sector. Various other sectors will benefit from an allocation of Rs 1,515.66 crore.

Of the total budget, the administration has got Rs 6,185.18 crore under the revenue head, which is Rs 326.56 crore more than the previous year’s amount. Under the capital head, the UT has been allocated Rs 798 crore, with an increase of Rs 143 crore. Funds under the capital head are meant for development works and asset creation, while those under the revenue head are spent on salaries and other recurring expenses.

The Administration had sought nearly Rs 7,900 crore from the Centre for 2025-26 for various projects, including power, education and transport, but it got Rs 916.82 crore less.

Owing to the privatisation of the UT Electricity Department, the Centre has reduced the allocation under energy sector from Rs 1,093.70 crore in 2024-25 to Rs 984.85 crore in the 2025-26 fiscal.

The following are various fields for which provisions have been made in the budget allocation.

Power and renewable energy: New and renewable sources of energy, and promotion of model solar city programme.

Education: .Modernisation and purchase of equipment, development of infrastructure for NCC, providing amenities/services, graduate courses, modernisation and construction of new polytechnic; government polytechnic for women and the Industrial Training Institute.

Health services: Upgrade of 50-bed Community Health Centre to 250-bed hospital, strengthening of 50-bed Poly Clinic, rural subsidiary health centres, urban subsidiary health centres, Employees State Insurance Scheme, and other health care schemes, AYUSH Homoeopathy and Ayurveda, construction of regional trauma centre, mental health institute, and Government Rehabilitation Institute for Intellectual Disabilities.

Welfare of women and children: Renovation/additions/ construction of government buildings, home for the old and destitute people, and Children Home for Girls, protection centre for runaway couples, creches for the children of working mothers, share capital contribution to Chandigarh Child and Women Development Corporation, matching contribution for implementation of Centrally sponsored Integrated Child Protection Scheme (ICPS) and setting up of UT Commission for Protection of Child Rights Act, 2005, etc.

Road and transport: Purchase of new buses, replacement of condemned buses and upgrade of bus stand, computerisation of Chandigarh Transport Undertaking, construction of link road, and purchase of video coach buses for intercity transport.

Urban development: Provision for land acquisition and survey, construction and other infrastructure development, urban roads, storm water drainage, electrification, IT Park, civic works, machinery and equipment, research works, dam across Sukhna Lake and 24x7 water supply pan city etc.

Welfare of the differently abled and the aged: National Family Benefit Scheme, Implementation of National Social Assistance Programme, Implementation of Disability Act/Programme, subsidy on petrol/diesel to physically challenged persons, unemployment allowance to persons with disability and national programme for Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons (NPRPD).

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
tlbr_img1 Home tlbr_img2 Opinion tlbr_img3 Classifieds tlbr_img4 Videos tlbr_img5 E-Paper