Shimla, Mar 29 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday passed the annual budget for 2023-24 and the related Appropriation Bill, authorising the government to spend Rs 5,66,83.69 crore from the consolidated fund.

The budget, presented by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on March 17, focused on making HP a green state, with emphasis on health, education, road construction, building of social sector infrastructure, and improving the financial position of the state.

Also Read | India Experienced 7 Lakh Malware Attacks in 2022, Banking Sector Most Hit.

The demands with respect to the public works department and Jal Shakti, health, and education department were discussed and voted on while the remaining demands were passed without discussion as the Speaker applied guillotine.

A budget reflects a revenue deficit of Rs 4,704 crore, while the estimated fiscal deficit is Rs 9,900 crore, which is 4.61 per cent of the Gross State Domestic Product.

Also Read | Delhi High Court Stays Trial Court Order of Registering FIR Against Business Tycoon's Son Veer Singh in Alleged Rape Case.

Out of every 100 Rupees spent, Rs 26 will be spent on salary, Rs 16 on pension, Rs 10 on interest payment, Rs 10 on loan repayment, Rs 9 on grants to autonomous institutions, and Rs 29 on other activities including capital works.

Major announcements in the budget included Rs 1,500 per month to 2.31 lakh women, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, benefitting 1.36 lakh employees, and subsidies for promoting solar energy and other green initiatives.

(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)