Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Presents 2023-24 Budget to State Assembly
The Chief Minister has announced measures to improve healthcare facilities in the state.
Shima:
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presented his first annual budget for the financial year 2023-24 to the state assembly on Friday.
The Chief Minister has announced that Himachal Pradesh will become the model state for the adoption of electric vehicles in public transport in the state.
A total of 1,500 diesel buses will be replaced at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore, he said.
In order to boost tourism, Sukhvinder Singh Sikhu said Kangra district will be developed as a tourist capital and all 12 districts will be connected with a heliport within the next year.
State GDP growth remained sluggish in 2022-23 and fell to 6.4% from the 7.6% growth recorded in 2021-22.
“We have come to work for the welfare of the people and have restored the old pension scheme which benefits about 1.36 state employees,” he said.
The state is facing huge debt of Rs 75,000 crore and other debts due to payment of arrears of revised salary scales and DA amounting to Rs 11,000 crore.
The additional grant applications for 2022-23 amounting to Rs 13,141 crore were passed by the house on March 15.
The Chief Minister said his government will keep all the promises made to the people in the elections in a phased manner.
In the first phase, 2,31,000 women will receive Rs 1,500 per month as promised, he said, adding that the payment will cost the Treasury Rs 416 crore per year.
The Chief Minister also announced measures to improve healthcare facilities in the state.
Emergency departments at all medical schools will be transformed into emergency medicine departments, and all five medical schools will have robotic technology, he said.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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