Assam Finance Minister presents Rs 600.36 crore deficit state budget for 2022-23

Assam's first woman Finance Minister Ajanta Neog presented her second annual state budget in the state Legislative Assembly on Wednesday. Ajanta Neog had presented a Rs 600.36 crore deficit state budget for 2022-23 in the assembly, with no new tax proposals. Presenting the state budget on the floor the Assam Finance Minister said that, the COVID-19 crisis and subsequent lockdowns have significantly affected employment opportunities for our younger generation in the state. "To address this issue, our government remains committed to providing one lakh jobs to the state youths. The process has already begun. To expedite the process, the state government has enacted the 'Assam Direct Recruitment Commissions for Analogous Posts in Class III and Class IV Act, 2021'. Out of one lakh jobs, we have already filled around 1,157 posts and recruitment of 84,224 posts is in process," said Neog. The Budget Estimates of 2022-23 show a receipt of Rs 1,19,027.95 crore under the Consolidated Fund of the state and out of this, Rs 96,374.59 crore is on Revenue Account and the remaining Rs 23, 673.71 crore is under Capital Account. Four new schemes for road construction announced - Pakipath Nirman Achani, Unnoti Pakipath Nirman Achani, Mothauri Pokikaran Achani and Path Nobikaran Achani for construction, upgradation and maintenance of all-weather roads, including those on embankments.

Two major bridges to come up over Subansiri at Dhunaguri and Luit with help from Centre and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB). The construction of bridge linking Majuli with Bihpuria and Nemati is in progress. Trumpet Junction to be built at Gauripur, North Guwahati to enhance the utility of the bridge over the Brahmaputra. Four roads under Asom Mala are to be upgraded in 2022-23, with 19 new road over bridges being taken up. New flyover project to be taken up in Mancota Road, Dibrugarh and new elevated road in GNB Road, Guwahati. VAT on aviation turbine fuel for aircraft has been reduced by 1 per cent. A proposal has been made to start a new scheme to facilitate cheaper air connectivity from Guwahati to Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Silchar and Tezpur. Ther are proposal for new airports in Karbi Anglong and Silchar, along with three new heliports at Nagaon, Geleki and Haflong. Active engagement with GoI for a Greenfield Airport at Diphu. Joint survey for de-notification of 180 acres of forest land for development of Rupsi Airport. Assam Inland Water Transport Development Society will develop 13 small terminals on National Waterway 2 on the Brahmaputra at Umananda, Uzan Bazarm Kurua, Guijan, Ghaghor, Kachari, Goalpara, North Guwahati, Aphalamukh, Neemati Ghat, Matmora and Disangmukh. Neog said Jorhat Jail will be developed as North East Freedom Fighter's Memorial Park and Maniram Dewan Samadhi and Gomdhar Konwar Samadhi at Jorhat will be renovated. Light and sound show to come up at Rang Ghar, Sivasagar to attract international tourists. The budget said Assam Public Service Commission will fill 13,572 Class III and 13,787 Class IV posts and finalize 3,587 Grade-I and 1,568 Grade-II vacancies. Compassionate Appointment for 930 posts in Education Department and Sixth Schedule Areas will be completed soon to meet the target of one lakh jobs. To augment education facilities, 436 schools in tea garden areas will be brought under the ambit of the State government. The budget mentioned the launch of Mission Zero Drop-Out for identification and mapping of vulnerable girl children and customized plans to provide child-specific interventions such as conditional cash transfer. There are provisions for the introduction of 200 electric vehicles and 100 CNG buses for Rs 250 crore under Smart City project in Guwahati. The budget mentioned the renovation of 241 anti-poaching camps in Golaghat, Nagaon, Biswanath and Sonitpur districts. 35-km elevated corridor will be made for safe passage of animals from Kaziranga to Karbi Anglong for Rs 4,865 crore. Nine elephant corridors will be notified. Neog said that the construction of seven more cancer hospitals in Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Kokrajhar, Tezpur, Jorhat, Lakhimpur and Darrang to commence within 2022-23. Proposals will be made to set up three new medical colleges at Sivasagar, Karimganj and Goalpara, along with a super-specialty hospital at IIT Guwahati. She said the construction of medical colleges at Dhemaji, Bongaigon, Morigaon, Golaghat and Tamulpur will start this year. Expansion of primary healthcare with establishment of 1,000 Buniyadi Swasthya Kendras and upgrading 200 sub-centres. New Ayurvedic Colleges to be set up at Dudhnoi and Palashbari. One BSc Nursing College/GNM Nursing School for each medical college. The Finance Minister said district hospitals in Barpeta, Silchar, Diphu, Jorhat, Tezpur and Lakhimpur will be upgraded to super-specialty hospitals for Rs 3,798 crore.

Mission Basundhara 2.0 has been introduced to offer next-generation land-related services. This will enable the realization of land revenue from the rightful owner and allow them to use the land as collateral to unlock the value of the land. The budget has provisions to increase Dearance Allowance by 3 per cent in addition to the 11 per cent already provided to State government employees and pensioners. Rs 4,000 crore has been earmarked for solar power project to increase the generation of clean energy by installing solar power generation plants with aggregated installed capacity of 1000 MW. Rs 2,127 crore has been allocated for 120 MW Lower Kopili Hydro Electric Project. Two projects of 46.5 MW on the Borpani river are in progress. Rs 2,500 crore has been earmarked for 10MW Namrup Replacement Power Project Phase-II and 100 MW Namrup Gas Engine Project. New Industrial and Investment Policy 2022 has been made to boost industrial growth. Hospitals, hotels and cruise services, shipbuilding and vehicle scrap processing facility will be included in the industrial sector for various incentives under the new policy.

Amrit Guwahati Integrated Global City (Amrit GiG City) will be developed as a new-age, world-class integrated business city. Spread across 1,000 acres, it will have the world-class infrastructure for next-generation industries.

( With inputs from ANI )

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