Gujarat Budget focuses on farmers, schools & healthcare

In view of local body elections later this year, Gujarat Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Nitin Patel on Wednesday presented a budget of Rs 2,17,287 crore for the financial year 2020-21, while focusing on farmers, health and education. The Vijay Rupani-led government stayed away from introducing any new tax in its budget.

While presenting his eight budget in the assembly, Patel announced a new scheme for the farmers for encouraging cow-based agriculture in organic farming. He said that farmers will be given a grant of Rs 900 per month if they use cow dung manure in their farms. However, its modality is yet to be decided.

Patel announced "Mukhyamantri Pashudhan Sahay Yojna, for providing cattle feed at subsidized rates for newborn calves of buffalo or cow for which Rs 200 crore has been allocated.

Besides, he announced setting up of "Gujarat Organic Agricultural University" in Halol, Panchmahal district in central Gujarat. He said that it will be the first university of its kind in the country for which Rs12 crore will be spent.

Keeping in mind the urban poor, the minister announced that large size umbrellas will be provided to 65,000 retail fruits and vegetable vendors who don't have permanent shops.

One of the highlights of the budget is the "School of Excellence" scheme under which 500 state-run schools will be developed by the government. Patel said that the most meritorious students in a taluka will be admitted to these schools where they will be taught by subject expert teachers. These schools will have state-of-the-art facilities such as smart classrooms, computer lab, stem lab, and extracurricular activities' facilities. For this purpose, the government will be spending Rs 250 crore.

He also announced that 7000 new classrooms will also be added to the government-run schools. In total, he allocated Rs 31,955 crore budget for education, Rs 11,243 crore for health and Rs 7,423 crore for the agriculture sector as a whole. Some of the interesting schemes in the budget are the provision of Rs 80 crore to provide free bicycles for girls.

To woo farmers, the government also announced a scheme - Dinkar - that promises to provide electricity supply to the farmers in day time for irrigation for the next three years. As of today, the government supplies electricity to farmers for eight hours a day in rotation. They get power for a week at night and in the day time next week. It has been a long pending demand of the farmers. Patel announced that Rs 3,500 crore substations and transmission lines are required to be installed for which, he allocated Rs 500 crore in the budget.

The Health and Family Welfare Department has been allocated Rs 11,243 crore in the budget while focusing on malnourishment among children. A budget of Rs 2,000 crore has been provisioned for the "Mahila Suposhit Gujarat" scheme for women. Patel has promised that one urban health centre will be established for every 10,000 persons and for which Rs 80 crore allocated.