BHOPAL: The Madhya Pradesh government on Wednesday presented the annual budget of Rs 2, 79, 237 crore for the financial year 2022-23 focusing on infrastructure development and employment generation.
The annual budget which was presented with the concept of 'Atmanirbhar Madhya Pradesh' saw a fiscal deficit of Rs 55, 111 crore and more importantly, no new taxes have been imposed.
Finance Minister Jagdish Deora announced the allocation of Rs 370 crore for a statue of Adi Shankaracharya, an eighth-century spiritual leader who consolidated the Advaita Vedanta doctrine and contributed to the unification of Hinduism by setting up four monastic institutions across India.
The Finance Minister said that the government has decided to start a new scheme for cow protection and its welfare in the state, for which Rs 150 crore has been allocated in the annual budget.
"Tribal Development Corporation will be constituted to provide new job opportunities to tribals. Similarly, a provision of Rs 40 crore has been made for Scheduled Caste Finance Development Corporation and Rs 50 crore for Other Backward Classes, " Deora said.
He said two new industrial parks will be set up in Bhopal apart from solar plants in Sagar, Ujjain, and Shajapur to promote green energy. "To promote electric vehicles, 217 charging stations will be set up in Bhopal, Indore, and Jabalpur, " he said.
Deora said the government is working for the welfare of its employees and that the dearness allowance has been increased from 20 to 31 per cent. He added the government will promote organic farming through a new scheme and storage facilities for about 1 lakh MT of horticulture produce will be developed.
Opposition Congress earlier staged a protest in the well of the House before Deora's speech. During over an hour-long budget speech, Congress MLAs kept raising issues such as rising unemployment, SC/ST, OBC scholarship, atrocities against them, Narmada river conservation, etc.