India News | Chhattisgarh Assembly Passes Rs 3,807-cr Supplementary Budget

Raipur, Aug 27 (PTI) The Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly on Thursday passed the supplementary budget of Rs 3807.46 crore for the financial year 2020-21 on the penultimate day of the monsoon session being held amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the passage of the first supplementary budget for the current fiscal, the size of total state budget increased to Rs 1,06,714 crore for FY 2020-21.

Also Read | Delhi Police Bust Extortion Racket in Mandoli Jail, Arrest 5 People Including Head Warden.

Answering to the debate on the demand proposals for the first supplementary budget, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel said if required his government will take more loans, but will not let the financial condition of farmers deteriorate.

If we have to take a loan, we will take it, but we will not let farmers suffer, Baghel said.

Also Read | Earthquake in Assam: 3.4 Magnitude Tremors Erupt in Tezpur Region.

Apparently targeting the opposition BJP, Baghel said, Roads and buildings might be your definition of development but in our definition development is the upliftment of farmers, tribal and women. Our commitment is towards the welfare of farmers."

Baghel said his government is committed to procurement of paddy at MSP of Rs 2,500 per quintal from farmers and therefore, it has launched Rajiv Gandhi Kisaan Nyay Yojna.

So far, two installments have been paid under the Nyay scheme to farmers and the remaining two will be paid soon, he added.

In 2003, when the new (BJP) government took reins there was Rs 400 crore in the public treasury but when we came to power after 15 years (in December 2018), the state was already under a burden of Rs 41,000 crore.

"In 2003, the BPL population was 18-19 per cent in the state which grew to 39 per cent in 15 years (during BJP rule)," Baghel said.

Similarly, 37.5 per cent of children were malnourished and 41 per cent women suffering from anemia, but in the last six to eight months, the percentage of malnourished kids has come down by 13 per cent due to implementation of Mukhyamantri Suposhan Abhiyan, he claimed.

During (the coronavirus-induced) lockdown, the state government provided employment to the poor, tribals and needy people, the chief minister said.

Under the MGNREGA scheme, employment was provided to 26 lakh people while benefits under Rajiv Gandhi Nyay Yojna were extended to 19 lakh farmers, he said.

Highlighting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the world economy, Baghel said had the central government paid Rs 2,828 crore, which is pending with it as GST compensation, the Chhattisgarh government would not have opted for loan.

Similarly, the Centre didnt transfer the CSR (corporate social responsibility) amount which the central PSUs, functioning in the state, had deposited with the Union government, he said.

In the first supplementary budget, a provision of Rs 978 crore has been made to tackle the coronavirus, Rs 1,900 crore for rural economy, disaster relief and drinking water, Baghel said.

Besides, a provision of Rs 53.29 crore has been made for setting up medical colleges in Kanker, Mahasamund and Korba, he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)