Highlights of the Budget proposals:
Annual Plan for 2007-08 fixed at Rs.2100 crore. Largest ever increase approved by the Planning Commission.
Focus of Plan to be the social sector with special emphasis on education, health, agriculture and allied activities, water supply and sanitation. Plan allocation for education is Rs.281 crore, health – Rs.223 crore, agriculture and allied activities – Rs.222 crore, irrigation Rs.260 crore, water supply and sanitation- Rs.207 crore.
Road infrastructure to be given high priority. Plan allocation for roads and transport sector- Rs.278 crore. Automatic licensing scheme for all bus permits where at least 60% of the bus route is for rural roads. Equity investment in HRTC to be doubled so as to provide better transport services to the public.
Plan allocation for power sector – Rs.154 crore. Allotment decisions to be taken before 30th September, 2007, for all unallocated hydro power projects above 100 MW capacity.
Medical College in Mandi to be set up in the Government sector and one medical college in Hamirpur in the private sector.
5 Degree colleges, 150 Senior Secondary schools, 50 High schools and 200 Middle schools to be opened in 2007-08.
All government colleges and universities to be equipped with state of art computer laboratories within 2007-08.
Drinking water supply schemes of Shimla, Solan, Bamson, Lagwalti to be completed before end of 2007.
1500 additional hand pumps to be set up within the next financial year at a cost of Rs.20 crore. Substantial increase in plan investment for major and medium irrigation projects so as to complete the same within next two to three years.
A special budget provision of Rs.5 crore to import horticulture plants and root stock, so as to give a boost to horticulture productivity. 60 posts of Horticulture Development Officers, 80 posts of Horticulture Extension Officers, 60 posts of Agriculture Development Officer and 160 posts of Agriculture Extension officers to be filled so as to strengthen horticulture and agriculture extension services.
Per capita income of Himachal Pradesh expected to reach Rs.40,000 in 2007-08. Himachal Pradesh creates history by being the first State in the country to achieve 100% financial inclusion, i.e. all households now hold bank accounts.
About Rs.100 crore to be spent by way of food subsidy through public distribution system to benefit the entire population of the State.
Roll back subsidy of around Rs.130 crore to shield household consumers of electricity.
Rs.50 crore corpus to be created to shield about 1 lakh pensioners from any fiscal development in the State.
5 percent interim relief to be released to all government employees and pensioners. Total estimated financial impact in next year of Rs.200 crore.
More than 33,000 vacant functional posts to be filled up. All eligible government employees to be sanctioned house building advance on demand, without any delay.
25,000 new pensioners to be added in the category of old age, widow and disability pension schemes and to benefit by Rs.6 crore per year.
About 40,000 women anganwari workers, anganwari helpers and tailoring teachers to gain by Rs.5 crore. Allowances under Jannani Suraksha Yojna doubled.
Ex-servicemen to benefit through interest subsidy and employment in eco-battalions.
IT fees for Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes students reduced from Rs.130 per month to Rs.30 per month.
Panchayat Sahayaks and Panchayat Chowkidars numbering about 5000 to benefit through enhanced emoluments. This involves additional annual expenditure of more than Rs.5 crore.
Ration allowance increased for Police Constables from Rs.100 to Rs.175 per month.
Daily wages increased for Home Guards volunteers from Rs.100 to Rs.130 per day.
Non practicing allowance of Ayurvedic doctors and Veterinary doctors to be increased at par with medical doctors.
Special additional increment to be given to government drivers in addition to assured career progression scheme.
Primary Assistant Teachers to get same emoluments as being contributed by the government for teachers appointed by Parent Teacher Associations.
Para Teachers to be given same emoluments as is being paid by the government for the contract teachers.
All contract teachers to be given regular increments.
1681 Vidya Upasaks shall be given 50% of minimum basic pay and
dearness pay of JBT’s.
117 posts of Superintendent Grade-II upgraded as Superintendent Grade-I in Elementary education.
117 posts created at Block level for Physical Education Teachers and
12 posts at District level for Physical Education Officers. All DPEs of Senior Secondary Schools will get designation and pay scale of Lecturer Physical Education.
Head teachers to get a special allowance of Rs.100 per month.
Functional vacant posts to be filled up: 125 posts of Medical Doctors, 30 Dental Doctors, 40 Veterinary Doctors, 85 Assistant Librarians, 447 Forest Guards, 22,000 Anganwari Workers and Helpers, 167 Jail Warders, 1408 Police Constables and more than 7800 teaching posts of Education Department.
Born at Village Bhawarna, District Kangra, HP. Currently employed at Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
