Guwahati: A tax free, surplus interim budget presented by Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Thursday also made budgetary provisions for rewarding Below Poverty Line (BPL) people of the state by gifting cash to celebrate Rongali Bihu this year for reposing the faith in the ruling Congress government for 13 years in a trot.
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, Gogoi used the vote on account to woo voters by luring them with cash and also promised that state will revise salaries of its employees in line with 7th Pay Commission which has already been constituted by the Centre.
More than 19 lakh BPL families in the state will receive cash from government ahead of the state’s major festival Rongali Bihu. The government has not decided on the amount, but Gogoi said that minimum Rs. 200 will be paid per family.
“We are working out the details how much budgetary provisions need to be made,” Gogoi, who is also the Finance Minister, said to reporters after presenting the budget in the state assembly.
In his budget speech he said, “I propose to give a modest amount as Bihu Gift to the poor and needy as a token of my love and concern for them”.
Not only poor people, Gogoi also tried to pull journalists in his favor by announcing an award for the best journalists of the year.
While earlier announced special package of Rs.1000 crore for Barak Valley and Rs.100 crore for Sadiya will be released this fiscal an additional Rs.100 crore was allotted for the development of Dhemaji district.
Amid recessionary pressures, the Assam economy grew 5.87 per cent during 2013-2014, Gogoi informed the Assembly.
“As per advance estimate, the GSDP at constant prices (2004-2005) for 2013-2014 reflected a growth of 5.87 per cent,” Gogoi said.
The GSDP at current prices during 2012-13 with an ‘quick estimate’ is 12.56 per cent higher than 2011-12, he said.
Gogoi said the state has withstood the pressure of global recession and fiscal compression since 2008.
“While I am confident that I shall be able to maintain this trend in the coming days too, I would, however, like to put in a word of caution.
“The overall national growth rate continues to be much below expectation. Our state cannot remain totally insulated for long from global and national economic trends,” he said.
The state witnessed revenue surplus of Rs.1,554 crore in 2012-13, he added.
“The fiscal deficit has also turned into a surplus of Rs.1,516 crore and the fiscal deficit to GSDP ratio has come down to (-)1.06 per cent of GSDP during 2012-13 as compared to 1.43 per cent in 2011-12,” Gogoi said.
The state government will present its full Budget for 2014-15 only after the Central government unveils its full Budget for the next fiscal post the Lok sabha elections.
“To defray the obligatory and other necessary expenses, I seek vote-on-account on the demand for grants for an aggregate amount of Rs 28,467.20 crore for the period from April 1, 2014 to September 30, 2014,” Gogoi said.