Asserting that the Covid-19 badly impacted the State economy, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur on Tuesday tabled supplementary demands for grants of Rs 9125.12 crore for 2020-21 in the Vidhan Sabha.
Speaking during the third day of the Budget Session of the State Assembly, the Chief Minister said that revenue receipts were affected in the Covid-19 pandemic, and it was necessary to ensure that committed obligations of the government are fully met.
Relief was provided to every section of the society and now, the state is coming out of the economic recession, he said.
Giving details of the supplementary demands, the Chief Minister said that out of the total supplementary demands of Rs 9125.12 crore, Rs 8,448.17 crore is under non-plan schemes, Rs 280.84 crore under the plan and Rs 396.11 crore under the centrally sponsored schemes.
Major expenditure proposed under the plan schemes includes Rs 108 crore to Health and Family Welfare Department for construction of buildings, Rs 86.74 crore for World Bank Aided Horticulture Development Project and to provide additional subsidy to the horticulturists, Rs 45.84 crore for Bhanupalli-Bilaspur-Beri Rail Line and development of water transport project between Tatta Pani and Slapper, Rs 17.36 crore to Education Department for the construction of buildings and parking and Rs 11.93 crore to Public Works Department for the construction of roads and buildings.
Thkaur informed the House that under the non-plan expenditure, a sum of Rs 7,999.57 crore has been provided for ways and means advance.
WMAs are temporary advances given by the RBI to the government to tide over any mismatch in receipts and payments.
The Chief Minister said that the WMAs get repaid during the year itself and its net effect on borrowings is zero. The Government of India this year has increased the amount of this facility from Rs 550 crore to Rs 880 crore for the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic, he said.
Thakur further said the State Government took advantage of this facility provided by the Central Government, so that the burden of the debt does not increase on the State.
Due to the COVID-19 lockdown, the sources of income of HRTC and HPTDC had been adversely affected due to which the payment of salary or pension liabilities of employees became difficult.
The government ensured payment of committed liabilities of both these corporations. During current year, Rs 258.76 crore has been provided to HRTC as grant-in-aid, he added
Later, the supplementary demands for grants for 2020-21 was passed by voice vote in the Vidhan Sabha.
