The Uttarakhand government has proposed a budget of Rs 65,571.49 crore for 2022-23 in the state assembly. It includes Rs 49,013.31 crore of revenue expenditure and Rs 16,558.18 crore of capital expenditure.
It has made the highest allocation of Rs 1,500 crore for payment of pensions to the old, widows without anyone to depend on, abandoned women, differently-abled, and economically weak farmers.
The budget also focuses on schemes to improve gender ratio and provide health insurance to everyone.
The Nanda Gaura Yojna aimed at improving gender ratio has been allocated Rs 500 crore. The government is planning to pay Rs 51,000 to the parents of a daughter in seven installments, starting with the year of her birth till she is married.
A provision of Rs 17,350.21 crore has been made in the budget for salaries and allowances of state government employees - Rs 6,703.10 crore for pensions and Rs 6,017.85 crore for payment of interests.
The total estimated receipts during the financial year stood at Rs 63,774.55 crore.
Finance Minister Prem Chand Aggrawal presented the budget on the opening day of the state assembly's ongoing session in Dehradun.
He described the budget as the lag-bearer of the state government's priorities. He added that the cabinet is focused on robust fiscal discipline and management as well as good governance and effective implementation of sustainable development goals.
The state government also made a provision of Rs 300 crore for the Atal Ayushman Uttarakhand Yojana, Rs 311.76 crore for Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (rural), Rs 205 crore for Smart City Yojana, Rs 112.38 crore for Rashtriya Gramin Ajivika Mission, Rs 105.41 crore for Deendayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushal Yojana.
Rs 25 crore is allocated for a scheme aimed at preventing migration from the hills, and another Rs 20 crore is for the development of the border areas.
Building sheds to shelter stray cows has a proposed budget of Rs 15 crore. And the Atal Utkrisht Vidyalayas for making quality education affordable for children from weaker sections has received a proposed provision of Rs 12.28 crore.