Bhubaneswar, March 19: State Finance Minister Pradip Amat presented the annual general Budget 2016-17 in the State Assembly here on Friday.
The Minister projected the GDP of the State at Rs. 3,83,228 crore while, presenting Budget worth Rs 94,052.65 crore for the fiscal year 2016-17. He proposed Rs. 18,800 crore allocation towards salary, Rs. 9,500 crore for pension, Rs. 4,650 crore for interest payment.
Proposing to procure medicines worth Rs 221.31 crore through Odisha State Medical Corporation in 2016-17, Amat allocated Rs 4,771.87 crore to Health Department, Rs 50 crore for Mission Shakti, Rs 13,396.35 crore to Mass Education Department, Rs 2,835.12 crore to SC, ST,Minorities Department, Rs 4,693.95 crore for Women and Child Development and Differently-abled Department.
Amat targeted Rs 78,126.72 crore revenue in the fiscal, while proposing Biju Kanya Ratna Yojana for girls. He proposed Rs 6,489 crore in 2016-17 for rural infrastructure development. He proposed expenditure of Rs four crore for the welfare of eunuchs, Rs 1,688.26 crore for Indira Awas Yojana in 2016-17.
Besides, highlighting the Government’s decision to build 93,000 houses under Biju Pucca Ghar Yojana, Amat proposed Rs 1,000 crore for Gopabandhu Gramin Yojana, construction of 1, 71,000 houses under Indira Awas Yojana, Rs. 8,485.95 crores for Panchayati Raj Department.
Adding to that the Finance Minister declared Rs 3,33.33 crore for Smart City Mission and proposed Rs 140.15 crore under Amrut Scheme for nine cities.
The Government laid emphasis on irrigation projects and allocated Rs 13, 181.89 Cr for this purpose
Amat stated that the Agricultural Budget as 14.02 per cent of the total Budget and a total of Rs 13,181.89 crore has been allocated which is 20.89 per cent more than the Agricultural Budget of 2014-15.
The proposal of setting up a start-up fund for the development of agri-based industries was highlighted by Amat.
Emphasising on irrigation projects Amat said that there is a target of irrigating 2.57 lakh hectare land in the current fiscal year 2016-17 and 10 lakh hectare land will be irrigated in the coming five years.
Three new irrigation projects will be established in the coming three to five years, said Amat. Nearly, 1,900 Lift Irrigation points will be finalised and there is a target to complete 183 minor irrigation projects in the current year.
Stating that rains have affected the agricultural output, Amat informed about the construction of check dams for conservation of ground water and said that nearly 4,000 check dams will be constructed in the current year.
Amat proposed allocation of Rs 7,241.66 crore to Water Resources Department. Rs 100 crore allocation for godowns to store agricultural produce was also proposed by Amat.
The production of dal as national agricultural produce instead of paddy and farming of maize and millet for increase in cereal crops was emphasised by Amat. Amat also set light on the increase in fish production from 7.79 lakh tonne to 7.85 lakh tonne in the current year, 2016-17.
Amat highlighted on special policy of the Government for women and farmers and informed on the proposal to distribute two lakh Kisan Credit Cards in the year 2016-17. Further Amat said about the Government’s contribution of Rs 300 crore under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.
Amat further concluded his speech after proposing use of foreign skills and technologies for agricultural development in the State.
