Himachal Budget: Rs 100 crore skill development allowance for jobless youth

Tribune News Service
Shimla, March 6

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur presented the state’s budget for the year 2021-21 in the Vidhan Sabha in Shimla on Friday.

This is the third budget being presented by Thakur. For the first time, a paperless budget was presented as Thakur read from a laptop.

Thakur’s wife Dr Sadhna Thakur, former Speaker Gangu Ram Muzafur and former MLA’s were seated in the VIP gallery for the budget presentation.

Live updates:

• H.P. has been ranked at the top in many sectors at the national level, says Thakur
• 2020-21 to be celebrated as golden jubilee year of statehood as Himachal attained statehood in 1971.             
• Thakur says mammoth support given by people to BJP in HP with the highest vote share of 69 per cent in the country and victory in two assembly by-polls is a vindication of his government’s pro-people policies.
• Global Investors Meet at Dharamshala proved to be a major milestone in HP’s development. MOU’s worth Rs 96,000 crores signed and groundbreaking projects worth Rs 13,656 crores envisioned: Thakur
• Vision document has been adopted as a policy document with many schemes like Himcare, LPG connection to every household, enhancement of social security pensions, CM helpline, Jan Manch, housing and irrigation schemes being implemented.                       
• Liberal funding under various centrally funded schemes has helped farmers, BPL, women, farmers and all weaker sections of society. 
• Thakur expressed gratitude to the Centre for granting HP special category state, thereby assuring liberal funding.
• CM says the annual plan size for 2020-21 will be Rs 7,900 crores out of which Rs 711 crore will be under tribal sub-plan. He thanked the 15th Finance Commission for recommending Rs 19,309 crore annual grant.                              
• CM announces Good Governance Project for districts with the top three performing to be rewarded Rs 50 lakh, Rs 35 lakh and Rs 25 lakh.
• Enhancement of MLA Area Development Fund from Rs 1.50 crore to Rs 1.75 crore and a discretionary fund of MLA’s from Rs 8 to 10 lakh.
• Emphasising the thrust on e-governance, CM says cabinet meetings will be paperless.
• Scheme to enhance the income of farmers through the cultivation of saffron and Heeng in suitable areas and identification of cultivable land lying idle by a committee so that it can be given to Himachal residents to enhance the area under cultivation.
• CM announces 50 per cent subsidy for raising steel and bamboo structures for anti-hail nets and makes Rs 50 crore budgetary outlay for it.
• Rs 536 crore for the Horticulture sector.
• Gau Sadans will be set up in all districts and thrust on poultry farming and animal husbandry.
• Mobile Veterinary Services to be introduced on a pilot basis. 
• Increase of Rs 2 per litre in prices of milk and setting up of 100 trout farms and thrust on carp fish production. 
• Rs 20 crore in the budget for the creation of water reservoirs to meet irrigation needs under Parvat Dhara.
• CM announces a grant of Rs five lakh for Tobacco-free panchayats.
• Rs 15 crore allotted for plantation of one crore saplings and distribution of 50,000 sandalwood plants to farmers for commercial cultivation.
• Vidyalaya Van Yojana announced where 100 schools will undertake plantation to enhance forest cover.
• CM announces Rs 15 crore for setting up 100 Cluster schools and Rs 30 crore for 68 schools which will be modernised with smart classrooms to bring about qualitative improvement in education.
• Rs 9 crore assigned for modernising nine colleges and setting up of 196 virtual classrooms.
• Super 100 scheme to help 100 meritorious students in class 10 prepare for competitive exams by giving them Rs one lakh.
• An increase of Rs 300 per month in allowance of water carriers and mid-day meal workers.
• CM makes Rs 8016 crore budgetary provision for the Education department.
• CM announces Rs 1,500 monthly grant to tuberculosis patients
• Mammography facility in all districts to ensure early detection of breast cancer.
• Three anti retro viral centres for HIV patients at Nahan, Chamba and Ner Chowk medical colleges and 10 mobile health ambulances for tribal and difficult areas 
• Samman scheme to help treatment and care of abandoned persons.
• Free medicines for persons above the age of 60 years in all Ayurvedic hospitals.
• Budgetary provision of Rs 2,702 crores and Rs 307 crore for Health and Ayurveda departments.
• CM announces shifting of grain and wood market from the main town in Shimla to decongest the state capital.

• CM announces Rs 454 crore for State Disaster Risk Reduction Fund and Rs 50 crore for Risk Mitigation.
• Rs 2,011 crore for 209 drinking water schemes and grant of one lakh domestic connections. 
• A budgetary allocation of Rs 2,313 crore for the Irrigation and Public Health department.
• To ensure there is no vacancy in schools, government to recruit teachers and ensure rationalisation of teachers in schools for optimum utilisation.
• CM announces Rs 58 crore Parampara scheme to promote artisans making handicrafts and traditional items.
• Widows up to the age of 45 years would be provided a subsidy for setting up self-employment units.
• CM says work on Rs 6,947 crore 40 MW Renuka project likely to start this year. Announces one-time policy for expediting the delayed hydro-power projects.
• Announces Rs 158 crore for tackling low voltage problem and Rs 350 crore for expansion of transmission network.
• Announces Rs 480 crore as subsidy for domestic power consumers.
• Announces Rs 50 crore for identifying new tourist destinations under Naye Rahen Naye Manzile scheme.
• In the transport sector, CM announces setting up of a modern Transport Nagar in Hamirpur, Rs 35 crore for national highway safety scheme and Rs 55 crore for providing road connectivity to left out villages.

• Announces a sum of Rs 306 crores for resurfacing of roads and Rs 44 crore for setting up of crash barriers and road widening.

• Allocation of Rs 3,986 crore for the Public Works department.

• Rs 155 crore assigned for setting up of a Centre of Excellence for IT at Waknaghat.

• Rs 100 crore for giving Skill Development Allowance to jobless youth.