Gist of Himachal Pradesh (HP) Budget 2022-23

Gist of Himachal Pradesh (HP) Budget 2022-23

Unprecedented expansion in Social Security :

• The age limit for old age pension, irrespective of income, will be reduced to 60 years for all.
• All such pensioners who are currently getting a pension of Rs.850 per month, will now get Rs.1,000 per month.
• All such pensioners who are currently getting a pension of Rs.1,000 per month, will now get Rs.1,500 per month.
• All such pensioners who are currently getting a pension of Rs.1,500 per month, will now get Rs.1,700 per month.
• Women in the age group 60 to 65 years will also be entitled to old age pension without any income limit.
• Men in the age group 60 to 69 years will also be entitled to old age pension without any income limit.
• 7.50 lakh beneficiaries will now benefit from Old Age Pension Schemes and an amount of Rs. 1,300 crore will be spent.
• The Government contribution under Atal Pension Yojana will be increased to Rs.3,000 per annum and the beneficiaries will be increased from 1 lakh to 1.50 lakh.

Child, Women Welfare and Empowerment & Welfare of other sections.

• Gender Budget Statement presented for the 1st time along with other budget documents.
• One additional free cylinder will be given under Grihini Suvidha Yojana and Ujjwala. Additional Rs. 50 crore will be spent on it.
• ‘Mukhya Mantri Mahila Sashktikaran Yojana’ started under which an additional grant of Rs.25,000 will be provided as one time Top-Up for the Revolving Fund of women Self Help Groups.
• The women members of these Self Help Groups will be covered for one year by the ‘Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana’ and ‘Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana’.
• Krishi Sakhi, Pashu Sakhi, Krishi Udhyog Sakhi, Vitt Sakhi, Bank Sakhi etc. will be paid Rs.500 per day.
• Under the ‘National Rural Livelihood Mission’, Self Help Groups in category-I and category-II districts will now get loans at a uniform rate of 4 percent.
• Under ‘Mukhyamantri Swavalamban Yojana’ the subsidy increased to 35 percent for all women and to 30 percent to Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Divyangjan beneficiaries.
• The grant will be Rs.65 thousand for couples under the ‘Widow Remarriage Scheme’, to encourage widow remarriage.
• A new “Mukhya Mantri Bal Suposhan Yojana” will be started to eliminate child malnutrition.
• Under the ‘Mukhya Mantri Bal Uddhar Yojana’, the grant increased to Rs.35 thousand per child.
• To rehabilitate and provide education to destitute and abandoned children, a new “Mukhya Mantri Asahaya Bal Punarvas Yojana” started.
• The construction of 1,000 new Aanganwadi buildings.
• Remaining 12 thousand 207 Aanganwadi Centres to be converted into Model Aanganwadi Centres in a phased manner.
• Extension in One Time Settlement scheme for beneficiaries of the H.P. Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Development
• Corporation that will benefit more than 12 thousand people and Rs.12 crore can be settled with this.
• OTS will also be made available for the Backward Classes Financial Development Corporation beneficiaries.

Quality Education and increase in Scholarships

• Pre-primary classes for children in the age group of 3 to 6 years in Government Primary Schools will be started in a phased manner.
• “Shreshth Shiksha Gunvatta Protsahan Yojana” started to give cash awards to top ranked schools.
• ‘Swaran Jayanti Gyanodaya Cluster Shreshth Vidyalaya’ under which 100 new Primary schools, Swaran Jayanti Utkrisht Vidyalaya’ under which 68 new Middle schools and Swaran Jayanti Utkrisht Mahavidyalaya’ in which 10 new colleges will be covered in 2022-23.
• Under ‘Maharishi Balmiki Scholarship Scheme’, ‘Indira Gandhi Utkrisht Scholarship Scheme’, ‘Kalpana Chawla Scholarship Scheme’, ‘Dr. Ambedkar Medhavi Chhattervriti Yojana’ and ‘Swami Vivekanand Utkrisht Scholarship Scheme’, scholarship increased to Rs.1,500 per month. Under ‘Rashtriya Indian Military College Scholarship Scheme’ and ‘Sainik School Scholarship Scheme’, the scholarship increased to Rs.2,000 per month.
• Under ‘Mukhya Mantri Bal Kalyan Scholarship Scheme, scholarship for boys increased to Rs.1,500 per annum and for girl students to Rs.2,000. College students will get Rs.5,000 and Hostel students Rs.6,000 per annum under this scheme.
• The children of martyrs and disabled personnel of the Armed Services will get an increased scholarship of Rs.1,500 per month.
• A scholarship of Rs.3,000 per annum will be given under ‘Bal Pratibha Scholarship Yojana’ for top 500 meritorious students in class-3.
• The Research Scholars will be given Rs.3,000 per month under ‘Mukhya Mantri Shodh Protsahan Yojana’.
• Career Counselling and Guidance Cells will be set-up in the Government Schools and Colleges of the State.
• ‘Sardar Patel University in Mandi’ will start functioning from April, 2022.
• B.Tech in Computer Science and M.Tech programme in Civil Engineering will be started in Jawaharlal Nehru Engineering College, Sundernagar.

Expansion and strengthening of Health Services

• A total assistance of Rs.1,267 crore will be available in 2021-22 and 2022-23 from Centre to strengthen Health Services in the State.
• Registration for HIMCARE will now be done throughout the year. HIMCARE cover will now be renewable after three years.
• “Mukhya Mantri Mobile Clinic (M3C)” scheme started to introduce Mobile Health Services at the door steps of the rural population.
• PET scan and Brachytherapy will be made available at RPMC, Tanda and PET scan and MRI facilities will be established at Nerchowk.
• A comprehensive Lactation Management Centre will be set up at Nerchowk Medical College.
• A ‘Model Primary Health Centre’ will be developed in each Health Block.
• 50 new ambulances will be procured.
• 500 new posts of Medical Officers will be created.
• 100 Aayush dispensaries will be upgraded as Wellness Centres.
• Male and female Yoga Instructors (Aarogya Mitras) will be engaged in Wellness Centres.

Increase in income of Farmers

• Grain procurement will be started at 11 places and 4 new Grain Mandis will be developed.
• Agriculture sector is expected to grow at 8.7 percent.
• 50 thousand acres land will be brought under Natural Farming.
• Farmers engaged in Natural Farming will be registered and out of these, best 50 thousand farmers will be certified as Natural Farmers.
• Agriculture and Horticulture Universities will update the syllabus in the Graduate and Post Graduate Programmes to include Natural Farming and also to encourage research in this field
• Kotgarh-Thanadhar and adjoining areas in Shimla district will be developed as Satyanand Stokes Trail.
• Irrigation facilities will be made available in 9 thousand hectares of additional land in horticulture sector.
• Parala Mandi is being developed as a model Mandi and a new cold store will be set up at a cost of Rs.91 crore.
• 13 market yards will be developed and upgraded under JICA aided project Phase-II.
• Another Flower Mandi will be established in the State.
• 20 FPOs will be established, of which 10 will relate to natural farming.
• High Density plantations and Immunity Booster crops will be promoted.
• Two Centres of Excellence will be set up in Shillaru and Palampur Under ‘Horticulture Development Project’.
• Setting up of 5 new big Cow Sanctuaries and Gausadans. The grant for dependent cows in private Gaushalas will be Rs.700 per cow per month. This arrangement will be known as “GOPAL”.
• Two Milk Processing Plants of 50 thousand litres per day capacity each will be started at Duttnagar and Chakkar Mandi.
• The milk procurement price will be increased by Rs.2 per litre.
• 44 mobile veterinary ambulances will be operationalized to provide better facilities to Animal Husbandry farmers

Employment & Employee/Labour welfare/Increase in Honorarium of Para Workers.

• 30,000 functional posts will be filled up.
• Anganwari Workers will get Rs.9,000, Mini Anganwari Workers will get Rs.6,000, Anganwari Sahayikas will get Rs.4,600, Asha Workers will get Rs.4,700, Silai Teachers will get Rs.7,850, Mid Day Meal Workers will get Rs.3,400, Water Carriers (Education Department) will get Rs.3,800, Water Guards will get Rs.4,400, Multi Purpose Workers of Jal Shakti Vibhag will get Rs.3,800, Para Fitters and Pump Operators will get Rs.5,400 per month honorarium. Daily wagers will get Rs.350 per day. Panchayat Chowkidar will get Rs.6,400 per month honorarium. A considered policy will be formulated regarding the services of Panchayat Chowkidars. Revenue Chowkidars will get Rs.4,900, Revenue Lambardaar will get Rs.3,100 per month. Rs. 1,000 per month will be increased in the honorarium of SMC teachers and their services will continue as they are. The IT teachers will get an increase of Rs.1,000 per month. Special Police Officer (SPOs) will get an increase of Rs.800 per month. Every outsourced worker will also get minimum of Rs.10,500 per month.
• The designation of B.Ed and TET qualified and eligible Shastri and Language Teachers will be changed to TGT (Sanskrit) and TGT (Hindi).
• Lecturer (School Cadre) and Lecturer (School New) will be designated as Lecturer (School).
• One time option for promotion as Headmaster will be given to promoted lecturer from TGTs.
• Eligible Gram Panchayats Veterinary Assistants will be appointed as Veterinary Pharmacist.
• Daily allowance for Home Guards while on tour outside district and State. Increased the rank allowance of various officials of Home Guard Department.
• Rs.1,500 per month increase to outsourced workers.

Industrial Development and Basic Infrastructure.

• The central allocation of Rs.2,653 crore for Bhanupalli-Bilaspur, Nangal Talwara and Chandigarh – Baddi Rail lines. State share will be provided promptly.
• Process for construction of Paonta Sahib – Jagadhari and Una –Hamirpur rail lines given pace.
• MoU for construction of Green Field Airport in Mandi will be signed with Airport Authority of India and land acquisition will be started.
• 4 Ropeways to be constructed under ‘Parvatmala-National Ropeways Development Programme’.
• All households in rural areas will be provided drinking water supply connections under JMM by the end of 2020. Rs.1,500 crore to be spent in 2021-22.
• 5 big drinking water schemes, 4 lift irrigation schemes and 7 sewage schemes with a cost of Rs.681 crore will be dedicated to the public in 2022-23.
• Under Pradhan Mantri Gramin Sadak Yojna, 300 km of new roads, upgradation of 1,200 km of roads, construction of 23 bridges, 315 km of cross drainage will be completed and 22 habitations will be connected by road.
• Black spots marked on 60 km long roads will be secured.
• Geo-synthetic material technique will be used to enhance age and quality of roads.
• Rs.25 crore will be spent under Himachal Pradesh Sadak Unnayan Programme for doing work relating to Cross-Drainage and Culverts.
• Construction of 1,060 Kilometre long motorable roads, Metalling of 2,065 Kilometre roads, Cross drainage on 990 Kilometre roads, Construction of 75 bridges in 2022-23 and connecting 20 Panchayats, 80 villages and 22 habitations with road, along with periodic maintenance of 2 thousand 200 Kilometre roads will be achieved.
• ‘Industrial Investment Policy-2019’ scheme extended from December, 2022 to December, 2025.
• 5 sports complexes will be completed at a cost of Rs.20 crore.
• 3 multipurpose cultural centres will be completed at a cost of Rs.22 crore
• 59 works at a cost of Rs.160 crore in Shimla and 65 projects at a cost of Rs. 166 crore will be completed in Dharamshala.
• Legacy Waste Sites will be cleaned and developed as places of tourists attraction.
• Work on ‘Medical Device Park’ at Nalagarh giving employment to 10,000 persons will start.
• An Electric Vehicles and EV Component Manufacturing Park will be set up.
• Tourism Infrastructure Development Project with a cost of Rs.2,095 crore approved for assistance from ADB and to be implemented in 2 phases. Tendering process will start in 2022.
• Shiv Dham in Mandi, Water Sports facilities in Larji and Tattapani, Para Gliding in Bir Billing and development of Chansal as a tourist spot will be funded under ‘Nai Rahen Nai Manjilen’. The interest subvention scheme will also be continued.
• 1,533 Housing unit under Mukhya Mantri Aawas Yojana, 1,262 under Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana (R), 2,346 under Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana (U) and 7,628 housing units under ‘Swarna Jayanti Ashray Yojana’ will be constructed. A total of 12,769 housing units will be constructed.

Digitization

• A new scheme ‘Governance and Reforms Using Drones (GARUD)’ based on 4 pillars started.
• Four Flying Schools will be set up in Himachal.
• All eligible beneficiaries in aabadi-deh areas will be conferred with the land ownership under ‘Swamitva’ scheme started in Hamirpur district on pilot basis.
• The number of services being provided through e-district portal will be increased from 96 to 150.
• A digital library will be established with online availability of study material to facilitate students preparing for competitive exams.
• Family Register Database will be updated for effective implementation of Government schemes.

Natural Resources and Environment.

• The target to meet all power requirements through renewable sources of energy and green energy will be achieved before 2030. With this, Himachal Pradesh will become 1st Green State in the country.
• A plant based on Plasma technology will be constructed on a pilot basis for Solid and Liquid Waste Management in rural areas. 8,000 villages will be covered under Plastic Solid Waste and Grey Liquid Waste Management.
• “Zero Billing” will be done for consumption of up to 60 units and cheaper electricity will also be provided at the subsidised rate of Rs.1 per unit to 7 lakh consumers consuming between 61-125 units. The electricity rate will be 30 paise per unit for farmers.
• Under ‘Mukhya Mantri Roshni Yojana’, 5 thousand additional families will be given connection in 2022-23.
• Subsidy increased to Rs. 6,000 per KW on Grid Connected Roof Top solar energy plants.
• Rain Water Harvesting Policy will be brought out. Demonstration Models based on the policy would be developed to assist 1,000 small and marginal farmers.
• An Integrated Solid Waste Management online monitoring portal will be developed, which will ensure effective monitoring of the applications and early approvals thereof.
• New Regional Offices of Himachal Pradesh Pollution Control Board will be established in Mandi and Una to improve the efficacy of Board operations.

Other

• Present limit of posing MLA priority schemes funded by NABARD will be increased to Rs.150 crore per Legislative Assembly Constituency. Hon’ble MLAs can include ropeways in the MLA priority schemes.
• Hon’ble Members may recommend ‘Shaheedi Dwars’ commemorating the sacrifices of martyrs under ‘Vidhayak Kshetra Vikas Nidhi’.
• Allocation under ‘Vidhayak Kashetra Vikas Nidhi Yojana’ will be increased to Rs.2 crore
• The Discretionary grant of Hon’ble MLAs will be increased to Rs.12 lakh.
• Nasha Nivaran Cell will be established in the State Taxes and Excise Department to ensure better coordination between various Departments, Boards and Institutions.
• A mobile app will be started to verify quality of liquor in order to stop repetition of recent hooch tragedy.
• To promote Gausewa, Re.1 additional cess will be levied on each bottle of liquor.
• 9 Rozgar Melas and 120 campus interview will be organized. Digitization of registration process in employment offices will be completed.
• Honorarium to the elected representatives of Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis, Zila Parishads, Nagar Panchayats, Nagar Parishads and Municipal Corporations increased.
• Command and Control Centre will be setup in each district headquarters to trace and prevent crimes.
• Opening two Cyber Crime Police stations at the Range Headquarters in Mandi and Dharamshala.
• Opening of 4 new Fire Sub Stations and upgradation of 5 Fire Posts to the level of Sub Fire Stations.
• ‘Lata Mangeshkar Music College’ will be established in the State as a tribute to the late ‘Swar Kokila’.
• ‘Lata Mangeshkar Smriti Rajya Samman’ started in the field of folk singing.
• Diet money given to youth participating in sports competitions at various levels increased two times.

Gist of Himachal Pradesh (HP) Budget 2022-23

Read Also : Economic Survey of Himachal Pradesh 20-21-22

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