Nitin Patel presents Rs 1,83,666 crore Budget in Gujarat Assembly

NEW DELHI: Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister Nitin Patel, who also holds the finance portfolio, on Tuesday presented a Rs 1,83,666 crore budget for 2018-19, without any new major taxes but also proposing a revenus surplus of Rs 5,998 crore and overall surplus of Rs 783 crorennInterestingly, Rajendra Trivedi who was a BJP MLA from Vadodara was unanimously elected as Speaker. Chief Minister Vijay Rupani proposed his name and it was backed by the opposition Congress as well.nnThe budget was presented amid a walkout by the opposition Congress members alleging that the government was giving a short shrift to the farmers and protesting the support price for groundnut crop.nnThe Congress MLAs ignored repeated requests by Speaker Rajendra Trivedi, Chief Minister Vijay Rupani and Nitin Patel before leaving the House. Earlier, the Speaker suspended opposition legislator Harshad Ribabia who was rushing towards his chair and hurling groundnuts all over in the hall.nnThe opposition benches remained vacant throughout the Finance Minister’s budget speech.nnThe Congress MLAs were complaining that the budgetary outlay to the agricultural sector of Rs 6,755 crore reflected the government’s bias against the farmers.nnThe maximum allocation of Rs 27,500 crore has been made for the education sector, followed by Narmada and Water Resources Department at Rs 14,895 crore. An outlay of Rs 9,750 crore has been made to the Health and Family Department, and Rs 9,252 crore for roads and buildings. The lowest outlay of Rs 103 crore is for the Climate Change Department.nnAfter the Congress walkout, the Finance Minister continued his three-hour budget speech asserting that the Congress was unable to swallow its defeat in the recently concluded assembly elections and so was creating obstacles in the state’s path of development.nnOn the Congress allegation on minimum support price for groundnut, Patel claimed that the Congress never gave the MSP which his party provided.nnLeader of Opposition Paresh Dhanani told reporters after his party’s walkout from the House that despite its 22-year rule in Gujarat, the BJP had failed to bring the fruits of development to the poor, the Dalits, farmers and the rural areas.nn”The state government is squandering away crores of public money on festivals and event management,” he said.nnHighlights of Gujarat Assembly Budget 2018-19:n

Our government policies and development are two sides of the same coin, said FM Nitin Patel.

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Revenue surplus in the state increased to Rs 5,946 crore in FY 2016-17 from Rs 1,704 crore in FY 2015-16, says Nitin Patel.

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The fiscal deficit comes down to 1.42% of GSDP in 2016-17 from 2.24% of GSDP in 2015-16.

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CM Rupani led government announced the provision of Rs 6,755 crore for agriculture, farmers welfare and cooperation department.

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The state government also allocated Rs 3 lakh per farm for setting up 12 milch animal farms.

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The state government also announced new scheme of Mukhyamantri Apprenticeship Scheme. Youth to get Rs 3,000 per month with training.

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The state government also made provision of Rs 548 crore for land and water conservation works and for improvement of saline and alkaline soil.

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The state government announced four new e-radiation plants to protect crops after a successful pilot project in Sanand.

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The state government announced Rs 500 crore provision for providing crop loans at zero percent.

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Some 30,000 new recruitments will be made in various departments of the government in next year.

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The State government allocated Rs 44 crore for developing and improving the infrastructure of Gaushala and Panjrapoles.

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The State government allocated Rs 2 crore for State Toxicology and Research Centre.

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Boost to medical education: Rs 2 crore allocated to set up virtual classrooms in medical colleges.

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The state government also made the provision of Rs 785 crore to provide ample opportunities of employment and vocations to the youths of Gujarat. This will create employment opportunities for about 3.5 lakh youths.

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The state government allocated Rs 7,950.50 crore for the health sector in Gujarat. Senior citizens to get the benefit of Maa Vatsalya Yojana in Gujarat Budget.

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A total provision of Rs 210 crore has been made for the development of infrastructure facilities in Ahmedabad. Of this, Rs 100 crore standalone has been allocated for bio-mining projects at Pirana dumping site.