Chandigarh, March 17 (IANS) In his maiden Budget address, second-time Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Monday proposed the “futuristic” Budget of Rs 2.05 lakh crore for 2025-26, up 13.70 per cent from revised estimates of 2024-25. This was the state’s first budget with proposals of more than Rs 2 lakh crore. Last year, former Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar presented a budget of Rs 1.89 lakh crores. The Chief Minister, who also holds a Finance portfolio, said the government had received 11,000 suggestions regarding the Budget. Out of the 217 party’s manifesto promises, 19 have been fulfilled. He announced the establishment of a new Department of Future, which will focus on exploring future technologies and their potential benefits and uses. Also, the Substance Abuse Narcotics Knowledge Awareness and Liberation Program (SANKALP) Authority, which aims to tackle the drug menace, was proposed with an initial allocation of Rs 10 crore.

Chief Minister Saini also proposed to set up Rs 474-crore World Bank-funded Haryana Artificial Intelligence Mission with its hubs in Gurugram and Panchkula. He highlighted education and health as two crucial sectors for the state's development. Saini announced the establishment of model Sanskriti schools every 10 km. He also proposed the launch of the Kalpana Chawla scholarship to support students. Additionally, French will be introduced in state-run schools from Class III, expanding linguistic exposure for young learners. “The government also plans to set up e-libraries in all model schools, ensuring better access to digital learning resources. Further strengthening higher education, model colleges will be established in every district of the state,” he said. To check the declining water table, the Chief Minister announced a hike in subsidy for giving up water-guzzling paddy cultivation from Rs 7,000 per acre to Rs 8,000 under Mera Pani Meri Virasat Yojana.

He proposed to set up a horticulture research centre in Palwal and a flower market in Gurugram. On debt, Saini said, “Attempts have been made to mislead people about government debt”. However, he clarified that the current debt percentage remains within the prescribed limit, just as it was in 2014-15. Under Mission Haryana - 2047, the Budget aims to raise Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) to $1 trillion. For the mission, there is a provision of an initial allocation of Rs 5 crore. The state’s GSDP was Rs 4,37,145 crore in 2014-15 and increased to Rs 12,13,951 crore in 2024-25 (estimated). The per capita income, which was Rs 147,382 in 2014-15, rose to Rs 353,182 in 2024-25 (estimated). The GSDP grew at an average of 10.8 per cent, while the per capita income increased at an average of 9.1 per cent.

/IANS