Main Features of budgets of Gujrat 2017-18
Transformation of Planning Commission into NITI Ayog is one such stepto set in policy based rather than plan based decision-making. Taking this forward,Government of Gujarat has decided to remove the distinction of plan and non-planexpenditure from the financial year 2017-18. In addition, the State Government has alsoadopted a more substantive development outcome budget that provides measurableoutcome indicators for Government schemes and programs.
Demonetization is one of the most revolutionary in the reform series of the CentralGovernment. Contrary to fear expressed by many, it has led to higher growth in State’srevenues from VAT as more taxpayers have come under tax net. As against VAT income ofGujaratofRs 10,198 cr from November to January in 2015-16, we have received Rs 12,424 crfrom November to January in 2016-17, registering an increase of 21.83%. Unified andsimpler indirect tax regime of Goods and Service Tax is expected to provide a level playingfield to Indian goods and services and reasonable prices for consumers.
Gujarat is a front runner in adopting important initiatives ofNDA Government such as promoting ease of doing business, Make in India, Start-up India,Stand up India, Digital India, Skill India which are further complemented by State
Government’s initiatives like Sevasetu and Pragatisetu for providing public services at thedoorstep of citizens.State Government’s constant endeavour is to devise a strategy to make the most of thisfavourable development climate. Government has closely worked in consultation withpublic and private sectors, non-Government sectors, local bodies andcooperatives to devise abalanced development strategy for the state. Therefore, the central theme of budget is to“Optimize inclusive development of human resources and trunk infrastructurethrough effective and transparent implementation”.
Education
Government is making sincere efforts to improve educationalstandards further both in terms of coverage and quality. The impact onprimary education has been exemplary and Government is determined to take itforward to higher levels of education, for which budgetary provision ofRs 25000 cr is made, which is Rs 1185 cr higher than previous year.
Mukhya Mantri Yuva Swavalamban Yojna :
Government has announced a comprehensive MukhyaMantriSwanvalambanYojanabenefitting about 82,08,000 students, for which Rs. 1,100 cr is allocated , for
providing the following benefits
- Free text books and assistance for uniform to all 60,60,000 studentsofprimary school
- Free text books to all 21,03,000 students of secondary and highersecondary schools and
- Financial support for tuition fees, mess and hostel facilities to all45,000 students of higher education.
- In addition to 50% assistance in tuition fees under MukhyaMantriSwavalambanYojana, female students of self financed medicalcolleges will get 50% assistance in tuition fees from KanyaKelvaniNidhi, making medical education free for female students
Tablets for students :
Youths of Gujarat is capable of gettinginternational recognition, for which they need to be exposed to globalknowledge pool. Therefore, to enable them to avail higher echelons ofeducation through modern day technology, Government announced thatabout 3,50,000 students passing this year’s 12th board exams held in thisyear and taking admission in colleges and polytechnics will be providedwith tablets at the token price of just Rs 1,000, for which an allocation ofRs 200 cr is made.
Health andFamily Welfare
Healthy people create a favourable environment for a healthy socioeconomicdevelopment. For ensuring health to everyone from a baby inmother’s womb to persons of all ages, according to aprovision of Rs 8,800 cr is made.
Maternal and child care forms the basis for healthy society forwhich a total of Rs 119.15 cr is allocated for undertaking the followingactivities.
- For making blood supply available during obstetric emergencies andtrauma care, 9 new blood banks at district hospitals and 41 newblood storage units at sub district hospitals will be set up
- Services of private gynecologists will be provided to pregnant andlactating mothers of BPL, SC & ST families under Chirinjivi scheme
- Provision of supplementary nutritious food will be made for pregnantmothers
- For promoting menstrual hygiene and uninterrupted education foradolescent girls, sanitary napkins will be provided
- For reducing Infant Mortality Rate in high priority area due to lowbirth weight, pediatric treatment and special care is made available
- Services of private pediatrician are made available for new bornebabies under BalSakha scheme.
Public Health
Vector borne diseases like malaria and dengue appear periodicallyand affect health of people adversely. Therefore, government hasdecided to take up the challenge of “eliminating vector borne disease”from Gujarat by 2022 by taking intense measures of vector control,extensive screening, close monitoring, early diagnosis and treatment anda lot of public awareness will be taken. A provision of ` 102 cr is made forthis program,
MA and MA Vatsalya scheme provide assured annual healthcoverage of Rs 2 lakh for more than 500 procedures under 7 clusters of lifethreatening ailments. I am glad to increase its coverage by raising annualfamily income limit from Rs 1.2 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh and further expand itsscope to cover neurological ailments and additional oncology proceduresand double the allocation for this scheme to Rs 500 cr.State Government provides medicines in essential drug list free to allthe patients in public hospitals. Enhanced provision of Rs 466 cr is made forthis purpose.
State Government has launched Deendayal Generic Drug StoreScheme to make available good quality and reasonably priced genericmedicines to public. I propose to increase the number of such stores from52 at present to 500 and provide Rs 15 cr.
Considering success of 108 emergency service in saving lives, I provide Rs 15 cr to expand its reach by adding 70 new ambulances andprovide additional 43 ambulances atpublic hospitals
For strengthening rural health network of hospitals, Rs 221 cr isprovided for the construction of CHCs, PHCs and sub centers andstrengthening of urban PHCs and CHCs
Agriculture andco-operation
Budgetary allocation of Rs 6400 cr is made for the primary sector ofemployment namely Agriculture, Cooperation and allied activities, whichprovides huge employment and farm produces, which is an increase of about Rs 608 cr over last year.
Welfare of farmers is central to the development strategies of Government and Government continue to build the edifice of socio economicdevelopment on the foundation of prosperity and welfare of farmerscommunity. Therefore, Government announce to rename “Agricultureand Cooperation Department” as “Agriculture, Cooperation and FarmersWelfare Department”.
Government are increasingly conscious of hazardous impact of over use ofchemical farm inputs on our health, texture of soil, ground water and environment. Therefore, Government has announced a policy fororganic farming. This is easier to promote in tribal areas as they livecloser to nature. Therefore, agriculture of Dharampur, Kaparada andVansadatalukas and Dangs district will be transformedas organic. Forpromoting education and research, Organic Agriculture University will be set up. A sum total of Rs 82 cr is allocated for organic agriculture.