Gairsain: On the first day of the Bhararisain assembly session, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami tabled a supplementary budget of ₹7,844.18 crore. Additional funds have been provisioned in this budget for schemes related to farmers, healthcare services, education, drinking water, energy, roads, sports, and social welfare. The state’s original budget stands at ₹1,11,703.21 crore. Following the addition of the supplementary budget, the total budget size will increase to ₹1,19,547.39 crore.
In the supplementary budget, ₹3,679.86 crore has been allocated for the revenue head and ₹4,164.32 crore for the capital head. Funds have been proposed for construction and infrastructure-related works alongside government schemes and other expenses.
₹1,100 Crore for Paddy and Wheat Procurement for Farmers
Under the Annapurti Scheme in the agricultural sector, ₹1,100 crore has been provisioned for the procurement of paddy and wheat from farmers. ₹70 crore has been allocated for the Uttarakhand Climate-Resilient Rainfed Agriculture Project, and nearly ₹35 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme. Provisions of ₹20 crore for the Deendayal Upadhyaya Cooperative Farmers Welfare Scheme, nearly ₹9 crore for the construction of Goshadans (cow shelters), and ₹1 crore for the new beekeeping policy have been made.
Funds for Divya Kumbh and Drinking Water Projects
Nearly ₹290 crore has been allocated under various heads for arrangements for the upcoming Divya Kumbh Mela. A capital provision of ₹30 crore has been made for the Haridwar-Ganga Corridor project. ₹122 crore has been set aside for the Gairsain water supply dam project. Approximately ₹110 crore is proposed for the Drinking Water Department’s KfW project, and ₹300 crore for clearing pending dues of contractors under the Jal Jeevan Mission. Nearly ₹100 crore has been kept for Asian Development Bank-assisted schemes of the Urban Development Department.
Emphasis on Health Services and Medical Colleges
In the health sector, ₹100 crore has been provisioned under the Atal Ayushman Yojana for cashless medical facilities up to ₹5 lakh. ₹125 crore has been set aside under the Golden Card scheme for cashless medical treatment of employees. Nearly ₹160 crore is proposed under the capital head for the Pithoragarh and Rudrapur medical colleges and nursing colleges.
Nearly ₹270 crore has been allocated for the distribution system, including the Khurpia Farm project, in the energy sector. Provisions of ₹55 crore for the construction of residential and non-residential police buildings, ₹22 crore for judicial infrastructure, and ₹48 crore for land subsidence-related works in Joshimath and other places have been made. ₹40 crore has been set aside for the construction of a new state data center.
Budget for Education, Competitive Exam Preparation, and Sports
₹200 crore has been proposed for digital learning in school and higher education. Under the Chief Minister Youth Future Building Scheme, ₹5 crore has been kept for coaching to prepare for competitive exams like NEET, JEE, and CLAT. Provisions of ₹8 crore for special training camps for athletes and ₹5 crore for the establishment of open gyms have been made.
Nearly ₹5.50 crore for athletes’ scholarships, nearly ₹4 crore for school education scholarships, and approximately ₹35 crore for the sports university have been set aside. ₹15 crore is proposed for awarding players winning medals in international competitions, and ₹10 crore for the women’s sports college in Champawat.
Funds for Pensions, Women’s Welfare, and Local Bodies
Under social welfare, nearly ₹93 crore has been kept for welfare pensions and nearly ₹27 crore for destitute widow pensions. Provisions of ₹20 crore for the honorarium of Bhojan Matas (cooks), nearly ₹60 crore for the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan Yojana, and nearly ₹2 crore for the Chief Minister Vatsalya Yojana have been made.
For rural and urban local bodies, as per the recommendations of the 6th State Finance Commission, it is proposed to increase the share in the state’s tax revenue from 10.5 percent to 12.5 percent, for which ₹721 crore has been kept.
₹31 crore for the maintenance of Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) roads under the Public Works Department and ₹30 crore for the same scheme under the Rural Development Department have been proposed. A provision of ₹12 crore has been made for the subsidy scheme under the Mega Industrial Policy.
Additional funds have been proposed for schemes across various sectors in the supplementary budget. The actual impact of these provisions will depend on the release of funds to the concerned departments and the execution of the schemes.
