Rajasthan Budget: Eye on polls, CM announces 'inflation relief package' for poor

Jaipur: In his government's last Budget before the Assembly polls this year-end, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday announced a Rs 19,000 crore "inflation relief package" for the poor that includes sops like free food packets and cheaper cooking gas.
Householders will get free electricity if they consume less than 100 units in a month, up from the previous 50-unit limit.
The state's Congress government had build up anticipation over the possibility of a populist Budget, putting up hoardings in the Rajasthan capital.

But the exercise began with a major goof-up with the CM, who also holds the Finance portfolio, mistakenly reading portions from last year's Budget speech.
The Opposition created a ruckus and the House was adjourned twice with the BJP alleging that the Budget had been leaked and demanding that the presentation be postponed to another date.

After Gehlot's apology, the uproar ended and he presented the Budget.
The Budget 2023-24 included provisions for Chief Minister Annapurna food packets every month along with free ration to about one crore families coming under the purview of the National Food Security Act.

Each packet will contain one kilogram pulses, sugar, salt and one litre edible oil, with the scheme costing the government around Rs 3,000 crore.
Like in the previous four years, no new tax was imposed while relief worth Rs 1,750 crore was given in the Budget 2023-24, the chief minister said.
Gehlot extended the benefits of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) to the employees of state government boards, corporations, academies and universities. The decision is likely to benefit more than one lakh employees.
The Budget proposed to increase the coverage amount from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 25 lakh annually per family in the state government's ambitious Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana.

Gehlot also announced enacting a law on social security, Gig Workers Welfare Act, one-time registration to appear for competitive exams, and free electricity for farmers consuming up to 2,000 units, Rajasthan Farmers Debt Relief Act, exemption of permit fee for autorickshaw/taxi operated by women.
The senior Congress leader said about 76 lakh families included in the BPL and the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana will get LPG cylinders for Rs 500. The government has announced to spend Rs 1,500 crore to provide cheaper cooking gas to the poor.

Domestic consumers will be given up to 100 units per month under the Chief Minister's Free Electricity Scheme. With this, more than 1.04 crore families out of 1.19 crore in the state will be able to get electricity free of cost. The state will incur a burden of Rs 7,000 crore on the scheme.
Gehlot said the state government aims to provide free electricity to domestic users consuming 300 units per month in a phased manner.
The Budget proposed to increase the accident insurance coverage from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh under the Chiranjeevi scheme.

A welfare fund of Rs 200 crore will be set up for gig workers, who are engaged in app-based services like Zomato, Swiggy, Ola and Uber.
The scope of 'gig economy' is increasing and the number of 'gig workers' in the state has increased to 3-4 lakh and there is no system of social security for them, Gehlot noted.

"To save them from harassment, I propose to bring Gig Workers Welfare Act, under which Gig Workers Welfare Fund will be set up with Rs 200 crore, along with the constitution of Gig Workers Welfare Board," he said.
More than 11 lakh farmers are expected to benefit with the government deciding to provide up to 2,000 units of electricity free of cost to them.

The chief minister also referred to the statement of former US president Franklin D Roosevelt regarding empowerment of the youths while making youth-centric announcements like setting up of Rajasthan Centre of Advanced Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Digital Fintech University cum Institute, APJ Abdul Kalam Institute of Bio Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Aviation University, fellowship of Rs 10,000 for three years for research scholars of government colleges who have cleared NET/SLET but are not getting any fellowship.

Other announcements included opening of 1,000 Mahatma Gandhi English Medium schools each in urban and rural areas, youth festivals at district and state levels, free travel in the state roadways buses to national award winners.
Gehlot read out a statement of former US president Barack Obama in which he opposed investment of social security fund in market.

He said Obama was concerned on investing social security fund in market and the state government also had a view on the same lines.
The chief minister announced a minimum pension of Rs 1,000 per month for elderly/disabled/single women.
He announced to bring Rajasthan guaranteed service delivery and accountability bill for ensuring time-bound delivery of services, reduced qualifying service for pension benefits from 28 years to 25 years, formation of Rajasthan Logistical Service Delivery Corporation to end the system of hiring contractual workers through placement agencies, retirement assistance package for post retirement economic support to part-time workers who get honorarium, plug and play co-working space for journalists, free laptops/tablets to accredited journalists.

Rajasthan Young Farmer Skill and Capacity Enhancement Mission, Rajasthan Farmers Debt Relief Act, compensation of Rs 40,000 per cow which died due to lumpy skin disease, and exemption of permit fee for autorickshaws/taxi operated by women were also announced.
For the agriculture sector, the Krishak Kalyan Kosh was raised from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 7,500 crore.(PTI)