With a focus on key priorities including water supply, economic growth, infrastructure development, and youth empowerment, Rajasthan’s Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari who also holds the portfolio of Finance Ministry presented the state budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, on Wednesday.
Draped in a Pink Lehariya Saree, Diya in her budget speech quoted former US president Theodore Roosevelt: "This country will not permanently be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a reasonably good place for all of us to live in."
This was her first full-budget presentation. Earlier Kumari had presented a Vote on Account (Interim Budget) in the assembly on February 8. In her address, Kumari focused on the government’s vision through ten resolutions, including the goal to boost Rajasthan’s economy to USD 350 billion.
In an attempt to woo the unemployed youth of the state, she promised to fill the four lakh vacancies within the next five years. Allocating eight per cent of the total budget to health sector, Kumari proposing Rs 27,000 crore for the health sector and Rs 20,370 crore designated for six projects under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), benefiting 5,846 villages.
Kumari announced that in a first, nine greenfield expressways with a total length of over 2,750 km will be constructed in Rajasthan. A Detailed Project Report will be prepared at a cost of Rs 30 crore. These expressways include Jaipur-Kishangarh, Ajmer, Jodhpur 350 km; Kotputli-Kishangarh 181 km; Jaipur-Bhilwara 193 km; Bikaner-Kotputli 295 km; Beawar-Bharatpur 342 km; Jalore-Jhalawar 402 km; Ajmer-Banswara 358 km; Jaipur-Phalodi 342 km and Sri Ganganagar-Kotputli 290 km.
In an attempt to improve connectivity in the rural areas, under Lok Parivahan Sewa, the budget also promises that 2,08,000 homes currently without electricity will receive domestic connections within the next two years. In addition to this, PM Suryaghar Yojana will develop model solar villages, and over 2.5 million smart meters will be installed this year to prevent electricity leakage.
Free tablets with internet will be provided to meritorious school students of the state.
The budget promises to introduce, shelter cum charging stations for electric buses in major cities like Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, Bikaner, and Bharatpur. New road projects worth Rs 60,000 crore will be initiated, including the construction of bypass roads and state highways. Additionally, road repairs, railway bridges, underpasses, and flyover work will be carried out for Rs 9,000 crore.
The Budget promises a new Tourism policy for Rajasthan. Also, the development of the Khatu Shyam Ji Temple Corridor will be undertaken with an investment of Rs 100 crore. Situated in Sikar, Khatushyam Ji is considered to be an incarnation of Lord Shri Krishna.
Taking a jibe at the previous Ashok Gehlot-run Congress government, Kumari said that the Rajasthan government has taken steps to curb paper leak incidents. “The action has been taken against the mafia and more than 100 arrests have been made,” she added.
