Shimla, March 17 (IANS) With a focus on strengthening the agrarian economy, healthcare, job creation and eco-tourism, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Monday presented a populist but deficit budget of Rs 58,514 crore for the next fiscal in the Legislative Assembly. CM Sukhu, who holds the Finance portfolio, earlier reached the Assembly while driving his personal Alto car. Announcing schemes in the budget, the CM said the total fiscal deficit in 2025-26 is expected to be Rs 10,338 crore, which is 4.04 per cent of the state’s Gross Domestic Product. In his 98-page Budget speech in Hindi for nearly three hours, he said the total revenue receipts are estimated to be Rs 42,343 crore, while the total revenue expenditure is projected to be Rs 48,733 crore.

The total revenue deficit is estimated to be Rs 6,390 crore. The Chief Minister forewarned that 2025-26 is likely to be one of the toughest years for the state economically, but his government will continue to fight to get the state’s legitimate dues. “It’s because of the imposition of strict conditions on the raising of loans and funding under externally-aided projects that Himachal is getting economically neglected. “The Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) has come down to Rs 3,257 crore in 2025-26 from Rs 6,258 crore last year, which will compound our problems further,” CM Sukhu explained. He said Himachal is awaiting the release of Rs 9,000 crore Post Disaster Need Assessment (PDNA) relief for damages suffered in the 2023 monsoons. “Also over Rs 9,000 crore is still lying with the Centre as the share of NPS (National Pension System) employees.”

He announced a hike in daily wages of MGNREGA workers from Rs 300 to Rs 320, daily wages from Rs 400 to Rs 425, and an enhancement in the honorarium of Panchayati Raj and urban local body representatives. Expressing concern over the rising unemployment, the Chief Minister announced that 25,000 new jobs, including 1,000 Rogi Mitras, will be provided in various departments. Cow milk will now cost Rs 51 per litre in the state, up from Rs 45, and buffalo milk will be priced at Rs 61 per litre, up from Rs 55. Admitting the state's financial difficulties, CM Sukhu said that nearly 70 per cent of the loans taken by the government had been used to repay previous debts and interest payments.

The Chief Minister said out of every rupee, only 24 paise would be left for development works, as 25 paise would be spent on salaries, Rs 20 on pension, Rs 12 on interest payments, Rs 10 on debt payments, and Rs 9 for grants to autonomous bodies. “The focus of the Budget is to bring back the derailed economy of the state back on track. We formed the government on December 11, 2022, inheriting huge financial liabilities left behind by the previous BJP regime, including a debt burden of Rs 76,185 crore,” he said.

/IANS