IEP Chandigarh, March 21
Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Manohar Lal while delivering his reply on the budget speech during the ongoing budget session of the state Vidhan Sabha announced that now MLAs can spend an amount of Rs. 2 crore being given under the Vidhayak Adarsh Gram Yojana for the development works in the urban areas as well.Earlier the MLA used to spend the said grant in rural areas only but now this amount can be used for the development works in the urban areas as well. He also announced to rename this scheme as Adarsh Nagar Evam Gram Yojana. The Director, Panchayat will be the nodal officer for this, announced Sh. Manohar Lal.The Chief Minister further announced that the Girl’s college to be constructed at Balsamand, Hisar will be named after Late Chaudhary Bhajan Lal. Sh. Manohar Lal said that apart from already announced 4000 playway schools in the year 2022-23, now additional 4000 play way schools would be further opened in the State.Sharing five contradictory figures about State Debt questions the credibility of ‘Hooda Sahab ‘only, CMResponding to the contradictory figures shared by the Opposition leader Sh. Bhupinder Singh Hooda on State Debt publically from November 22 to till date, Sh. Manohar Lal said that sharing 5 different figures is going to question the credibility of Hooda only, every time the Opposition leader shares different figures it certainly denting his image only. “We are not afraid of criticism, will keep introducing good governance reforms, said the Chief Minister.Opposition always fumble with the debt figures, at present, State’s debt graph has declined, CMClarifying the definition of Debt, the Chief Minister said that in the Public debt three different heads are included. The opposition should not confuse one with the other while calculating the final debt figures.The State Public Enterprises loan figure was in 2014-15 was 69,922 crore, while in the year 2021-22, the figure was 47,211 crore. The debt graph of the state at present has declined, shared Sh. Manohar Lal.Our GSDP is constantly increasing, at present it is increased up to Rs. 10 lakh crore. The debt limit was increased from Rs. 25 percent to Rs. 33 percent during the COVID-19 period. We are within the prescribed limit of around 26-27 percent while the neighbouring state Punjab is at 48 percent, shared Sh. Manohar Lal.The Chief Minister further shared that the HSVP had a pending debt of Rs. 14334. Out of this, about Rs.6000 crore has been settled and now Rs. 8334 crore has been left.Likewise, the HSIIDC had a pending debt of Rs. 13881 crore. Out of this, around Rs.7000 crore has been settled and now Rs. 6944 crore has been left. The power utilities had a pending debt of more than Rs. 37000 crore, which has been reduced to Rs. 14800 crore, shared Sh. Manohar Lal.The Chief Minister said that the State Government has included an amount of Rs. 25,850 crore of the UDAY scheme in its debt account and this is the reason that the profit graph of the power department is constantly rising, said Sh. Manohar Lal.Haryana is in the third position in the country in terms of InvestmentThe Chief Minister informed that with an investment of 90 rupee per person, Haryana is in the third position in the country in terms of investment after Karnataka and Maharashtra that have per person investment of Rs. 303 and Rs. 108 respectively. State’s investment graph is constantly increasing, said Sh. Manohar Lal.For 2023-24 Rs. 7314 crore allocated for Agriculture and allied sectors, CMThe Chief Minister said that for 2023-24 Rs. 7314 crore allocated for Agriculture and allied sectors, which is 3.9 percent of the total budget. In the revised budget estimates of 2022-23 it was Rs. 5758 crores and in the year 2021-22 it was Rs. 4100 crores.The Chief Minister shared that in the year 2014-15, the total allocated budget for this sector was Rs. 2156 crore which was only 3.4 percent. The present government has allocated 3.9 percent to this sector.Responding to an issue regarding why Haryana gets less financial help from Centre as compared to neighbouring states, the Chief Minister said that Centre follows the formula of the more progressive the state is, lesser the financial grant will be. The financial management of Haryana is well managed and this is the reason that we get less help as compared to its neighbouring states.The Chief Minister said that after GST, the Centre had announced to give 14 percent compensation to the States. As per the decision of the GST Council, loan has been taken for the amount which is to be given to the states. This debt is reflected in the State debt account, though this debt would be repaid by the Centre only.Government focused on making Panchayat and civic bodies financially independentThe Chief Minister said that the Government is focused on making Panchayat and civic bodies financially independent. They have been directed to prepare their budgetary allocation and ensure the same is spent on carrying out various development works. Those Panchayat and civic bodies that face storage of funds would be helped. They will continue to get the funds from the Central and State Finance Commission.He said that the local audit system would be meticulously implemented. Whatever public money will be spent on development works, local audit would be conducted for the same, said the Chief Minister.
