Virbhadra announces industry-friendly package

Shimla, Feb 7 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh Friday announced a slew of incentives, including reduction in taxes, to woo entrepreneurs in the state budget for 2014-15. He said the representatives of the industries had requested for the reduction of electricity duty and additional concessions on duty for new industries. The electricity duty for the specified extra high ...

Source: IANS

Himachal CM woos voters with budget bonanzas

Shimla, Feb 7 (IANS) With an eye to woo the common man ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh Friday presented a populist but deficit Rs.23,613-crore budget for 2014-15 with no new taxes. The chief minister, who also holds the finance portfolio, announced a 10 percent dearness allowance from July 1 last year for over 250,000 government employees and ...

Source: IANS

Budget 2014-2015

The main highlights of Budget 2014-2015 :-

 

Annual Plan Outlay of Rs. 4,400 Crore proposed for 2014-15.

Project proposal of Rs. 1,507 Crore posed to Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for Forest Ecosystems management and livelihood project.

Public Services Delivery Helpline to be set up for the people of the State.

A facility of Toll Free telephone number to be created for reporting the cases of corruption in the Government Departments.

Delegation of Financial and Administrative Powers in all Departments to enhance efficiency and speed up delivery of service.

Public Private Partnership Cells to be established in PWD, IPH, Urban Development, Tourism, Transport and Health to bring more investment in these sectors.

To make Result Frame Document (RFD) public oriented, each Department will work out five to seven measurable outputs, which directly benefit general public.

Lok Mitra Kendras will be opened in Himachal Bhawans at New Delhi and Chandigarh to facilitate Himachalis living there.

E-office to be started in 10 offices.

A budget provision of Rs. 220 Crore kept under the State Subsidy Scheme for PDS.

A project of Rs. 14.23 Crore to be implemented for computerisation of ration cards and automation of supply chain of PDS.

Additional food grain storage capacity of 30,000 MT to be created over next four years.

Additional 4,000 Hectare area to be brought under off-season vegetables for which an allocation of Rs. 55 Crore made.

Dr. Y. S, Parmar Kisan Swarozgar Yojana to be introduced with an outlay of Rs. 100 Crore. 85% subsidy to be provided for the construction of poly-houses.

Coffee Cultivation to be explored in the Districts of Kangra, Mandi, Una & Bilaspur.

Mukhya Mantri Adarsh Krishi Gaon Yojana to continue and one additional Panchayat of each Assembly Constituency will be provided Rs. 10 lakh.

15 Lakh Sq. Metre to be brought under protection from hailstorm by providing quality anti-hail nets to orchardists.

1,500 Hectare area will be brought under revamped Apple Rejuvenation Project.

Weather based Crop Insurance Scheme shall be expanded to cover additional blocks under apple and mango and shall also cover additional fruits like Peach, Plum and Kinnow in specified blocks.

All private investors investing in Controlled Atmosphere Stores in the rural areas of the State, to be provided Government land at token lease money of Rs. 1.

One Apple Juice Concentrate Unit costing Rs. 15 Crore will be set up in District Shimla by HPMC.

Two Vegetable Pack Houses with an investment of Rs. 8 Crore to be set up in Ghumarwin and Nadaun.

A new Liquid Nitrogen Gas Plant amounting to Rs. 4 Crore to be set up in Palampur.

An allocation of Rs. 10 Crore made to provide hand driven and power driven chaff cutters for livestock owners.

Procurement price of different varieties of wool increased ranging from 7.5% to 32.5%.

Possibility of using Sexed Semen technique to be explored to reduce stray cattle menace.

Demonstration project on Cage fish culture to be started in Gobind Sagar and Pong reservoirs.

Mobile fish market scheme to be started for marketing of fish.

All State Fish Growers to be covered under premium free “Group Accidental Fishermen Insurance Scheme”.

For eradication of lantana, additional 10,000 hectare area will be covered.

Habitat plantation enrichment, sterlisation and other measures to be adopted for controlling monkey menace.

Enhancement of compensation from Rs. 1,00,000 to Rs. 1,50,000 in case of death of a human caused by wild animal and in case of grievous injury the compensation enhanced from Rs. 33,000 to Rs. 75,000.

TD rules liberalised. Now TD will be given to right holders for construction and repair of house after 15 and 5 years respectively instead of earlier period of 30 and 15 years.

Three new ICDP projects to be started in District Kangra, Shimla and Kullu with an outlay of Rs. 85 Crore.

20% funds under Decentralised planning earmarked for convergence under MGNREGA.

Rs. 90 Crore will be spent under ‘Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan’. Thrust on Solid and Liquid waste management in rural areas to be given in next year.

10 additional blocks to be covered under Intensive mode under NRLM programme.

3,500 women based Self-Help Groups (SHGs) would be assisted to achieve credit mobilization target of Rs. 100 Crore.

10,700 new houses to be constructed under various housing schemes with a grant of Rs. 75,000 per house.

Provision made for repair of houses for BPL general category houses under Rajiv Awaas Yojana.

An expenditure of Rs. 190 Crore will be incurred for implementing Integrated Watershed Management Programme covering 25,000 Hectare area.

The State Government will transfer Rs. 476 Crore to PRIs and Rs. 382 Crore to ULBs for the years 2012-2017 as recommended by 4th State Finance Commission.

245 vacant posts of Panchayat Sahayaks will be filled up to ensure timely delivery of services.

200 Gram Panchayat Offices will be upgraded and 1,425 Lap-Tops will be provided under Rajiv Gandhi Panchayat Sashaktikaran Abhiyan at the cost of Rs. 55 Crore.

Grant-in-aid to Gram Panchayats for payment of honorarium to Panchayat Chowkidar to be increased from Rs. 1,650 to Rs. 1,850 per month.

Honorarium of the representatives of PRIs increased from 1st April, 2014.

A special drive to be launched to reduce the pendency of revenue court cases by 20%.

Water ATMs to be installed at important destinations.

Rs. 240 Crore to be provided as energy charges to IPH to provide drinking water and irrigation facilities at an affordable cost.

Swan Channelisation from Daulatpur Bridge to Gagret Bridge costing Rs. 922 Crore and Channelisation of Chounch Khad costing Rs. 180 Crore to be taken up.

A budget outlay of Rs. 1,500 Crore proposed for Irrigation and Public health.

2,000 MW additional hydro-power capacity targeted for commissioning in 2014-15.

Streamlined the process for project clearances for Small Hydro Power Projects.

Free power from 2 Mega Watt projects to be reduced from 7% to 3%

Preference to Himachalis for allotment of projects upto 5 MW.

State VAT on plant and machinery of Hydro-Power Projects will be given full set-off of 5% Entry Tax.

VAT on all type of plant and machinery used in generation of hydro-power, to be reduced to only 2%.

State Government to take over the liability of Rs. 564 Crore of the loan outstanding against the HPSEBL.

Cheaper electricity from SJVNL, which the State gets on account of its equity of 25%, to be given to HPSEBL for its lifetime to ensure low-priced electricity supply to the consumers.

Rs. 330 Crore subsidy to be provided to HPSEBL to subsidise domestic consumers.

2 MW Solar Photo-Voltaic Power Plant to be set up in Kaza.

An allocation of Rs. 985 Crore made for MPP and Power department.

‘HP Investment Promotion Cell’ to be set up to drive new investment in the State.

An ‘Industry Advisory Council’ to be set up for industrial development in the State.

New ‘State of Art’ Industrial Areas to be developed at Pandoga in District Una and Kandrori in District Kangra with an investment of Rs. 219 Crore.

A Tool Room at Baddi with an estimated cost of about Rs. 147 Crores to be established.

Approval for purchase of land for industrial units under Section-118 of HP Tenancy and Land Reforms Act simplified.

Specified EHT industrial units to pay electricity Duty at reduced rate of 15 %.

Existing Medium and large industries to pay electricity duty at a reduced rate of 13%. Such new units to pay only 5% electricity duty for five years.

Existing small industry to pay electricity duty at a reduced rate of 7% and new unit to pay only 2% for five years.

Any new industry, employing more than 300 Himachalis, will be charged only 2% electricity duty for five years.

For setting up a new industrial enterprise in the State, only 50% stamp duty to be charged.

Conversion of land use charges for the new industries to be reduced by 50% from the existing rates.

1,300 new buses for HRTC.

Rs. 516 Crore Project proposals under Rural Roads Project Phase‐II sanctioned.

Tunnels to be constructed under PPP mode.

Work on ‘Four laning of Parwanoo - Shimla Highway’ to be done on BOT basis at a cost of Rs. 2,500 Crore.

Work on ‘Four laning of Kiratpur - Nerchowk Highway awarded for Rs. 1,818 Crore.

An outlay of Rs. 2,384 Crore proposed for Public Works department.

Rail line to be extended to Baddi from any feasible rail point. State government to contribute 50% for this project.

The facility of filing e-returns, e-tax payment, e-declaration and issuance of statutory forms on-line extended to all the registered dealers of the State with effect from 1st July, 2014.

The dealers will be provided the facility of making tax payment directly in the banks.

From 1stMarch, 2014, the Trucks with full e-declarations of Goods will not be required to stop at barriers mandatorily, while exiting from the State.

Toll tax barriers to be auctioned for a period of three years to ensure development of modern toll infrastructure.

Sustainable tourism action plan to be formulated for Kinnaur and Lahaul & Spiti.

Greenfield airport project to be explored near Kandaghat and survey for developing an airport in Mandi district to be done.

Government to initiate large number of ropeway projects in the State.

Luxury Tax exempted for a period of 10 years for New Hotels opened in the rural areas of the State.

ICT at School Scheme (Phase II) to cover 618 Government Senior Secondary Schools, 848 High Schools and 5 Smart Schools.

Net Books (Lap Tops) to be provided to 7,500 meritorious students of Class-10th &12th during 2014-15.

Vocational Education to be extended in additional 100 schools. 200 Vocational Teachers to be appointed in these schools in 2014-15.

Project proposal of Rs. 956 Crore posed to Government of India under RUSA.

Budget outlay of Rs. 4,282 Crore earmarked for Education sector.

One Government Engineering College to be opened in Nagrota Bagwan under RUSA.

Skill development allowance scheme liberalised to cover maximum youths. A budget provision of Rs. 100 Crore kept for Skill development initiatives.

Budget provision of Rs. 5 Crore for creating a revolving fund for upkeep and pooja-archana of temples.

A City Museum & Entertainment Park to be set up in the heart of Shimla city.

Financial assistance for bulk purchase of books of Himachali writers raised from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 25,000 for State Awardees and Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 15,000 for other writers.

Annual grant of Youth Clubs for procurement of sports equipments and cultural instruments increased from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 18,000.

50 posts of Coaches and 13 posts of Groundsmen to be created , to give boost to sports activities.

All accredited correspondents of Himachal Pradesh exempted from payment of Toll Fee at the time of entry in the State.

Rs. 1 Crore earmarked for construction of Press Clubs.

Cheaper and quality Generic Drugs to be provided to the people of the State. Drug warehouses to be established in the State.

Mobile Medical Units to be set up for better health care services in far-flung areas.

Trauma Centres to be set up at Nurpur, Rampur and Kullu.

Kamla Nehru Hospital at Shimla to be upgraded as full-fledged Mother-Child Hospital.

Mother and Child hospital to be set up in Mandi.

Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojana to cover Sanitation workers, ragpickers, Auto Rickshaw drivers and Taxi drivers etc.

A budget provision of Rs. 1,050 kept for Health and Medical Education sector.

Water supply schemes to be augmented in Sujan pur, Rampur, Nagrota, Kangra, Mandi, Kullu and Manali at a cost of Rs. 183 Crore.

Four Modern Abattoirs to be set up at a cost of Rs. 15 Crore each.

Sewerage Schemes to be constructed for Baddi and Nalagarh towns at an estimated cost of Rs. 90 Crore.

City livelihood centre to be established in Shimla.

Honourarium for the elected representatives of Municipal Corporation, Shimla, Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats increased.

Procedures for permission under Town and Country Planning Act to be simplified. Areas under the purview of TCP Act to be rationalised.

Reservation of two seats to be provided in all Government institutes for acquiring higher education including technical and professional education for single girl child.

ICDS to be implemented in the State in Mission Mode and an amount of Rs. 130 Crore proposed under the programme during 2014-15.

An allocation of Rs. 1,108 Crore proposed for Scheduled Castes Sub-Plan for 2014-15 and has been increased to 25.19% of Plan outlay as compared to 24.72% given in 2013-14.

Social Security Pension increased from Rs. 500 to Rs. 550 per month.

All persons above the age of 80 years to get Social Security Pension irrespective of any income limit except those drawing any other pension.

Persons with above 70% disability to get higher pension at the rate of Rs. 750 per month. Marriage grant for them to be raised to Rs. 40,000.

Housing Subsidy for repair of houses of SCs, STs & OBCs increased from Rs. 15,000 to Rs. 25,000.

A uniform income limit of Rs. 35,000 per annum fixed for eligibility to avail benefit under various schemes.

An allocation of Rs. 924 Crore proposed for the development of tribal areas for 2014-15.

Financial Assistance of World War-II Veterans increased from Rs. 750 to Rs. 2,000.

Annuity of Gallantry Award Winners increased from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 5,000.

Rs. 2 Crore to be provided for establishment of War Memorial Museum at Dharamshala.

‘Samman Rashi’ of wives and daughters of late freedom fighter enhanced from Rs. 3,500 to Rs. 5,000.

Marriage grant to the daughters and grand-daughters of the Freedom Fighters enhanced to Rs. 51,000 in case of daughters and 21,000 in case of grand-daughters.

Two Women Police Stations to be established in Shimla and Dharamshala.

Ration Allowance of Constables, Head Constables, ASIs, SIs, and Inspectors increased from Rs. 150 to Rs. 180 per month.

Honorarium of Home Guards increased from Rs. 225 to Rs. 260 per day. Rank allowance increased by 20%.

5,000 functional posts to be filled up in different departments.

Daily Wages increased from Rs. 150 to Rs. 170.

All Daily Wagers completing seven years of service as on 31st March, 2014 to be regularised.

All Contractual Employees, completing six years of service as on 31st March, 2014, will be regularised. Their leave benefits increased. They will also be brought under RSBY scheme.

Monthly honorarium of Part Time Water Carriers increased from Rs. 1,300 to Rs. 1,500.

Part-timers completing eight years of services as on 31st March, 2014 to be made daily wagers.

Monthly honourarium of Tailoring Teachers increased from Rs. 1,600 to Rs. 2,000.

Additional honorarium to Anganwari workers, helpers increased by 50%.

Pensioners on attaining the age of 65-70, 70-75 and 75-80 years will be given pension allowance of 5%, 10% and 15% respectively. Benefit of Dual Family Pension to the families of Military Family Pensioners granted from 2014-15.

10% Dearness Allowance to be given to all the State Government employees and pensioners.

10% increase in DA for state employees – Budget 2014-2015

CM Mr. Virbhadra Singh today announced that 10% Dearness Allowance will be released to the employees with effect from 1st July, 2013. The DA will be paid with the salary for the month of March, 2014. The increased DA will also be given to the pensioners of Himachal Pradesh Government. The additional annual benefit of 10% Dearness Allowance to the State Government employees and to the pensioners will be to the tune of Rs. 580 Crore.

Government also increased the pension allowance from the next financial year. The pensioners on attaining the age of 65 to 70, 70 to 75 and 75 to 80 years will be given pension allowance of 5%, 10% and 15% respectively, from 1st April, 2014.