Education, health priority in Uttarakhand Budget, Rs 1,000 cr set aside for subsidence-hit areas

The Uttarakhand government on Wednesday presented its 2023-24 Budget that focuses on education and health sectors, and also sets aside Rs 1,000 crore for relief measures in Joshimath and other subsidence-hit areas.

Uttarakhand Finance Minister Prem Chand Aggarwal, who tabled the document in the state Assembly, called it an inclusive budget which reaches out to the youth, farmers and women, and gives priority to the deprived.

It makes the largest allocation of Rs 10,459.55 crore to education and youth welfare, followed by the health department which gets Rs 4,217.87 crore.

Read | Certain to win all 5 seats in 2024 election, only consideration is increasing margin: CM Pushkar Singh Dhami

The Assembly session is taking place in the state's summer capital Gairsain, about 230 km from capital Dehradun.

"Making better healthcare facilities available to the common people is our priority. Uttarakhand is the first state in the country where every family enjoys the facility of cashless or free treatment under Atal Ayushman Yojana for which an allocation of Rs 400 crore has been made in the Budget," Aggarwal said.

An allocation of Rs 3,343 crore has been made for civic bodies and Rs 2,850 crore for social welfare, women and child welfare departments. The public works department gets Rs 2,791.83 crore.

The Budget has a revenue surplus of Rs 4,309.55 crore. There is an increase of 18.05 per cent in this year's total budget expenditure and a rise of 21.16 per cent in capital expenditure compared to last year.

"The budget reflects our commitment to the goal of building a leading Uttarakhand by the year 2025. It is focused on boosting development of basic infrastructure, expanding the green cover and promoting entrepreneurship," the minister said.

According to him, the Budget emphasises investment in human capital, increase in capital expenditure, better availability of healthcare facilities, technology based development, and coordination between ecology and economy.

Aggarwal began his speech by greeting the House in Garhwali.

Read | Budget session of Uttarakhand Assembly begins with Governor's address

An amount of Rs 1,294 crore has been allocated for agriculture, out of which Rs 20 crore has been earmarked for the promotion of local produce and Rs 15 crore for the state's millet mission.

A provision of Rs 1,000 crore has been made for relief measures in land subsidence-hit areas, including Joshimath.

Though parts of Joshimath were “sinking” for some time, the alarm was sounded in January. Cracks appeared in roads and buildings, forcing authorities to begin evacuation from some areas and rehabilitate the residents elsewhere.

Karnaprayag is among some other areas affected by subsidence.

The electricity department gets Rs 1,251 crore in the Budget. Out of this, Rs 500 crore will go to the Lakhwar power project.

The Budget earmarks Rs 1,300 for developing infrastructure in different government departments.

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said the Budget reflected his government’s “inclusive and holistic approach”.

Read | Bhagat Singh Koshyari says his new task is making Uttarakhand self-reliant

“Be it health, education, agriculture, horticulture, rural development or tourism - every sector has been taken care of," the CM told reporters later.

But Congress MLA and former leader of opposition said it is a disappointing budget. “There is nothing for the common man, jobless youths or farmers in the Budget.”

The Congress leader said the BJP has talked about doubling the income of farmers, but there is no provision for that in the Budget.