ONE MAN... 8 CRORE HOPES!

Geh-lots to offer shot to boost state’s economic health, bring smiles back to people!

STATE BUDGET 2022-23 TODAY

BUDGET BITE

•  Farm debt waiver of Rs 2,500 crore from commercial banks
•  MSME credit card for small entrepreneurs
•  Resumption of subsidy for solar plants
•  Government jobs for youth
•  Upgradation of schools and colleges
•  Development of industrial areas
•  Extension of Metro services
•  Water connections for new villages and dhanis under Jal Jeevan Mission
•  Formation of Balotara, Neem Ka Thana as districts and Sikar as division
•  Social pension schemes for weaker sections

The state assembly is likely to witness an interesting battle between the generous politician Ashok Gehlot and the finance minister in him.

While the politician face will push Gehlot to dole out freebies and announce populist schemes, the astute finance minister in him will restrict his flight of fancy keeping in mind the financial constraints.

Whatever be the case, this budget will be different from others tabled so far.

Apart from being one of the most successful Chief Ministers, now he is also to prove that he happens to be one of the best finance ministers too as it will set the tone for the 2023 elections.

Gehlot looks to repeat his government successively - a feat which has not been achieved since 1998.

For that he is likely to dole out something for everyone. Jobs for youth, subsidies for farmers, welfare schemes for downtrodden, schools for children, industries and infrastructure for economic development of the state.

It is believed that more than 50,000 new recruitments will be announced in the budget. Due to the focus on the core vote bank, announcements related to farmers, youth and SC, ST are also going to be made in good numbers.

His post graduate degree in economics will be put to great use for balancing out the inflow and outflow of finances. The focus would be the farmers, who have been the centre point in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh elections and just concluded Punjab polls.

The visionary politician Gehlot had foreseen the importance of farmers quite early and had announced to table a separate agriculture budget for the first time in the history.

Farmers may get debt waivers, irrigation facilities, subsidised electricity and a boost for organic farming.

The MSMEs of the state which comprise 98% of the industries will also get easy credit facilities and other sops for creating conducive ecosystem for infrastructure and industrial development.

According to sources, last time, the budget was of Rs 2.50 lakh crores and this year, the budget can cross Rs 3 lakh crore.