Raipur: Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel presented the annual budget of ₹1,04,000 crore for the financial year 2022-23 in the state legislative assembly on reinstating the old pension scheme for state government staff and raising yearly MLA local area development fund from ₹2 crore to ₹4 crore, among other announcements. Chhattisgarh is the second state after Rajasthan to announce restoration of the old pension scheme. He said the old pension scheme will be restored from April 1, 2022.
Baghel also waived off the examination fees for Chhattisgarh domicile applicants in all professional examinations conducted by the Chhattisgarh Professional Examination Board (CG VYAPAM) and the Chhattisgarh Public Service Commission. There is no new tax proposal for 2022-23, the chief minister said. Baghel said that the budget focused on farmers, landless agricultural labourers, economically weaker sections, economic progress of the villages, new dimensions of quality and progress in education, strengthening of health and medical facilities, welfare of all communities, all-round development of women and children, creation of new opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship for the youth and securing future of government employees/servants.
The annual assistance for landless labourers under the Rajiv Gandhi Bhumihin Krishi Majdur Nyay Yojana has been increased from ₹6,000 to ₹7,000 per annum from the next year, he added. The funds allocated to MLAs, Jila and Janpad panchayat representatives have been increased for carrying out development activities through public representatives. The MLA fund will be increased from ₹2 crore to ₹4 crore for which a provision of ₹364 crore has been made. “Now the government will be giving ₹15 lakh for president of Zila Panchayat, ₹10 lakh for vice-president and ₹4 lakh per annum for each member as annual funds. The government also increased the allowance of sarpanch from ₹2,000 to ₹4,000 and that of panch from ₹200 to ₹500 per month,” Baghel said.