Ajanta Neog Presents Assam Budget for FY 2023-24

GUWAHATI: The Finance Minister of Assam, Ajanta Neog presented the Assam Budget for the Financial Year 2023-24 in the Assam assembly’s ongoing budget session on Thursday. The Rs 935.23 Cr deficit budget mentions allocations for several key sectors including education, entrepreneurship and employment generation.

"Taking into account the expenditure of Rs 1,79,326.48 Cr under the public account and Rs 2,000 Cr under contingency fund, the aggregate expenditure for the year is estimated at Rs 3,21,081.75 Cr," she said in her budget speech. According to the numbers, the estimated transactions during the year project a surplus of Rs 660.96 Cr. "This, together with the opening deficit of ₹ 1,596.19 crore will lead to a budget deficit of ₹ 935.23 crore at the end of the year 2023-24," the minister added.

Mentioning the initiatives taken by the state government, Ajanta Neog told the assembly that the government will invest a sum of Rs 5000 Cr in the coming year to transform over 2 lakh unemployed youth of the state into job creators instead of job seekers. Entrepreneurs and micro-entrepreneurs will be promoted in multiple sectors in the coming year. While reiterating the promise of 100000 jobs for the state, out of which about 42000 are now remaining.

Ajanta Neog said the GSDP is estimated to grow to Rs 5.5 Lakh Cr during the next financial year from Rs 3.93 Lakh Cr in 2021-22.

She also mentioned about the exemption of electrical duty on renewable energy generation and a three-year tax holiday on agricultural income.

In the education sector too, the finance minister announced the upgradation of 214 high schools to higher secondary level. Improvement of the infrastructure of the existing educational institutions including schools and colleges was also mentioned along with the creation of 6 engineering colleges and 8 polytechnics.

An additional sum of Rs 100.02 Crs has been allocated in this budget towards the development of the tourism sector of the state. The transformation and Development Department has been given Rs 645.37 Cr towards the holistic development of the villages of the state.

Incentives have also been announced for the students who perform well in the examination including tablets for students of class nine.

Rs 200 Cr was earmarked towards the prevention of child marriages in the state. And 1000 new ambulances will be provided to medical facilities across the state to serve the people.

Multiple elevated roads, underpasses and flyovers have also been sanctioned across the state as a part of the infrastructure development in the state.

Also Read: Assam Budget 2023-24: Perks And Benefits For Students

Also Watch: