From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI:Assam government on Monday announced tax exemption of Rs 14 per cylinder of LPG providing the much awaited relief to the middle class and poor households.
This was announced by Assam chief minister and finance minister Tarun Gogoi while presenting an Rs 1542.11 crore deficit state budget for the year 2011-12 in the state Assembly.
Cost of a LPG cylinder in Assam was increased to Rs 406 after the recent two hikes affected by the Central government. It will now be reduced to Rs 392 per cylinder.
While presenting the budget on the first of the first budget session of the newly-elcted Congress government in Assam, Gogoi also announced tax relief to tea exported from Assam through Brahmaputra Water Way through the container deport at Amingaon near here. He announced that a tea park will be set up in the state.
The Budget also announced increase of VAT to 20 per cent on pan masala, tobacco and tobacco products, India Made Foreign Liquor (IMFL) while royalty on crude oil produced in Assam has been increased by 5 per cent.
The budget made provisions for appointment in 89,290 new posts in Assam government while making special provisions for allocation of loan to self-help groups to promote self employment.
Gogoi said a plan had been chalked out to provide employment to 1.67 lakh unemployed youth within next three years.
He also announced that a decision has been taken to set up a skill development training society in the state to provide special skill development training to youth of Assam in tune with Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s vision to create a pool of 500 million skilled personnel in the country by 2020.
The budget has announced increase in upper limit of agriculture loan and upgrading the system for collection of VAT in order to keep the momentum of growth attained during the last ten years.
In an step that will contribute towards reduction of burgeoning vehicular pollution in Guwahati city, the state government has decided to introduce CNG taxis in the state’s capital city while master plan are being prepared for development of infrastructure and amenities in ten urban centres in the state.
Gogoi in the budget speech has claimed that there has been marked improvement in internal security and law and order situation in the state with surrender of several militants groups including the DHD factions, one faction of the NDFB, UPDS. He said the anti-talks faction of the NDFB has sent feelers to come over for dialogue with the government. The budget has made provisions for making Assam police a modern and techno-savvy force to cope with the challenge posed by new-age crimes as well as militants.