Bengal govt focuses on farmers, tea workers, youth, ahead of panchayat polls

While there’s an apparent crunch of funds for centrally supported rural-jobs scheme, on the other, the state government feels it can trigger employment through credit

In West Bengal – the state bound for rural polls – the state government intends to offer social security to elderly women, credit to youth, and waivers to tea workers and farmers.

The budget – that was presented by Chandrima Bhattacharya, minister of state (independent charge), finance department on Wednesday – has ten proposals for the upcoming financial year.

The state government, at present, supports 1.88 crore women financially under its ‘Lakshmir Bhandar’ scheme. The recipients – on turning 60 – will continue to receive the support in the form of Rs 1,000 per month. This will be a transition to the Old Age Pension Scheme.

For the fishermen, Bengal wants to offer ‘Matsyajeebi Bandhu (Death Benefit) Scheme’. An untimely death of a fisherman in the age group of 18-60, the government has proposed a grant of Rs 2 lakh to the dependent family members under the scheme.

While on one hand, there’s an apparent crunch of funds for centrally supported rural-jobs scheme, on the other, the state government feels that through credit it can trigger employment.

The proposal is to introduce ‘Bhavishyat Credit Card’ – a credit facility that will offer two lakh youth in the age group of 18-45, a loan up to Rs 5 lakh for setting up micro-enterprises, and in turn generate employment opportunities.

The rural roads network will be strengthened under a new project, ‘Rastashree’, by building new roads, and revamping the existing ones. The MLAs will have a hiked allocation of Rs 70 lakh, annually, for development of area in their constituencies.

For the tea garden workers (in the hilly terrain of north Bengal), the government has proposed a policy for issuance of homestead patta. For the workers, and the tea industry, an exemption of payment of rural employment cess and education cess for the next two years has been proposed.

The government also wants to waive agricultural income tax on tea gardens for the next two financial years. A full waiver of water rate on irrigation water is also proposed. This will offer additional relief to farmers.

Besides focusing on tea gardens and farmers, the government is extending the two per cent rebate on stamp duty and 10 per cent rebate on the circle rate of land/ property for another six months. A scheme has also been proposed for facilitating settlement of over 25,000 tax-related disputes pending in tribunals and courts.