RAJ BUDGET ALIGNS WITH PM’S VIKSIT 2047 VISION

Jaipur: Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari presented the Bhajan Lal government’s first full budget as Finance Minister in the Rajasthan Assembly on Wednesday.

Emphasizing the state’s financial health, the budget aligns with the Modi government’s Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, setting the stage for a developed Rajasthan by 2047.

The 2024-25 budget prioritises women, youth, farmers, the poor, and infrastructure. Key initiatives include the creation of four lakh government jobs over five years and over ten lakh jobs in the private sector. New policies for youth, tourism, industry, export promotion, warehousing, and the one-district-one-product scheme have been proposed. Significant announcements include the establishment of a Defence Manufacturing Hub and a Rajasthan Petro Zone in Balotra.

A landmark feature is the construction of nine greenfield expressways spanning 2,750 kilometres, marking a first for the state.

The budget avoids new populist schemes and does not cater to specific assembly constituencies where byelections are due. It ensures balanced provisions across various sectors, classes, and departments.

While there are no new VAT reductions on petrol and diesel, the VAT on CNG-PNG has been lowered from 14.5% to 10%, and the VAT on aviation turbine fuel has been slashed from 26% to 2%. The real estate sector also benefits from a reduced stamp duty on multi-storey flats, from 6 per cent to 5 per cent.