Highlights of Uttarakhand Budget 2010-11

A- Budget provision and Fiscal Indicators

• No New Tax has been proposed.
• Total receipts are estimated to be Rs. 14821.67 crores.
• Total expenditure is estimated to be Rs. 15451.95 crores.
• In the 2010-2011 Budget Estimate Revenue surplus to the tune of Rs. 162.10 crore has been estimated against the Revenue deficit of Rs. 213.44 crore during 2009-10 Budget Estimate.
• In the 2010-2011 Budget Estimate Fiscal deficit has been estimate at Rs. 1447.15 crore which is 3.41 % of GSDP as against the Fiscal deficit of Rs. 2070.99 crore which was 4.56 % of GSDP in 2009-10 Budget Estimate.
• Taking the opening balance into account, the estimated closing balance is Rs. 4.72 crores.
• Gender Budget was first introduced in 2007-08. The provision for Gender Budget has been increased from Rs. 333 crores in 2007-08 to Rs. 1417 crores in 2010-11.

B- Tax reforms and rationalisation of tax rates

• To give relief to economically poor sections of the society, VAT on kerosene oil will be reduced from 12.5% to 4 %.
• VAT on products made by Khadi Gramodhyog Industries, viz., matches, crackers, candles, gum, fiber (other than coir) handmade paper, paper board, file cover, file board, invitation card, drawing paper will be abolished.
• VAT on thresher will be abolished in the interest of farmers.
• To encourage the hand-loom industry, VAT on hand made woolen carpet will be abolished.
• In the interest of students, VAT on writing ink will be abolished.
• VAT will be reduced from 12.5% to 4% on cotton waste and textile waste, which is commonly used in pillows and mattresses.
• Stamp duty on purchase/sale of immovable property will be reduced to 6 percent from 7 percent.
• Stamps duty exemption on agricultural loans to farmer’s to be extended upto 31-03-2011. In addition to this, the loan limit for exemption will be increased from Rs. 3 lakh to Rs. 5 lakh,
• Entertainment tax on cable TV will be reduced to Rs. 20 per month for residential connection and Rs. 40 per month for commercial connection.
• In view of the economic difficulties faced by old cinema halls permission for construction of new cinema halls in their place will be given.

C-Other Schemes

• Provision of Rs. 20 crores as state share has been made for construction of Muzaffer Nagar-Roorkee rail line.
• Work on Jamrani Dam Project, which was pending for the last 30-35 years, will be restarted.
• Connecting roads will be constructed for villages having population less that 250 under CM Gramin Sanyojakta Yojana and Chief Minister Gramin Sadak Yojna.
• Railway Over Bridges will be completed soon at Luxar and Doiwala. Construction of Railway Over Bridges at Mohakampur, Dehradun and other important places of the State will be expedited.
• Home for illiterate and mentally retarded persons will be established.
• Arrangement of school education and establishing a hostel for children of the families of garbage collectors will be made.
• Homeless and economically poor families, whose annual income is less than Rs. 32000 and who are not covered under BPL will be benefited under Atal Awas Yojana.
• For the purpose of protection and enrichment of environment, and to provide employment to the local people, Rs. 82.00 crores will be spent under Badrish Van, Eco Tourism, Nakshatra Van and Green City schemes under CAMPA.
• Nephrology units in Pd. Deen Dayal Upadhay Government hospital, Dehradum, and Soban Singh Jeena Base hospital Haldwani-Cardiac Units at Dehradun and Roorkee, Trauma Centres at Rishikesh, Roorkee and Kotwar, MRI and Diagnostic centre, C.T. scan at Kotdwar and Pithrogarh will be run under PPP mode.
• Medical College Haldwani, where 100 Children are enrolled every year for MBBS, will be run in Government mode.
• First Nursing College of the State shall be started in 2010-2011 at Dehradun. Nursing colleges at Pithrogarh and Pauri will also be established. Further, Nursing colleges at Almora, Tehri and Chamoli will also be taken up.
• In continuation of the successful implementation of Sarva Siksha Adhiyan at Primary level, Rastriya Madhyamic Siksha Abhiyan will be started for universalisation of Secondary education under which availability of secondary education within 5 Km. will be ensured.
• In addition, to provide access to education, providing quality education is a priority area. Under this competency based child friendly teaching as well as evaluation technique will be adopted in place of cramming technique.
• Girl education has been accorded high priority by the Government. For this, Kashurba Gandhi girls residential high school are under operation. In addition to this 50 percent seats are reserved for girls in Rajiv Gandhi Novodaya Vidyalaya and Shyama Prasad Mukheryee Vidyalaya residential schools.
• In order to provide quality education to talented students of poor families in far off areas, Nanaji Deshmukh Adarsh Awasiya Madhyamik Vidyalaya will be established at Tehsil level in which public private partnership, as and when required, will be taken.
• Doon University, which is centre of excellence for higher education in the State, has started study in two Schools in 2009-10. Study in three more Schools will be taken up in 2010-11.
• Indian Institute of Management (IIM) for highest level management education and National Institute of Technology (NIT) for national & international level technical education will be established soon in the State.
• Tourist Circuits and Mega Circuits will be started in addition to other schemes to make Uttarakhand an attractive tourist destination.
• India’s First and largest Food and Herbal park has been established in the State. Further, special efforts will be made for production and exploitation of herbs and local products so as to utilise the water and youth of the hills.
• Single window system will be started for agriculture services at Nyaya Panchayat level.
• Small Hydro power projects have been allocated under the policy of 2008, in which preference to locals has been given. Works of Kishau Dam and Lakhwar multi purpose hydro power projects will be started soon.
• “Sparsh Ganga” movement will be launched for conservation, augmentation and pollution control of rivers.
• Toll free telephone facilities have been provided at Sainik Kalyan Directorate and District Sainik Kalyan offices for the convenience of soldiers and their dependents.
• Rs. 16.35 crore have been provided for scholarship to minority students, Rs. 25 lakh for Muslim Education Mission and Rs. 25 crore have been provided for Development under Multisectoral District Development Scheme.
• Motor cycles will be used for Pd. Deen Dayal Upadhayay 108 emergency services to enhance its reach.
• Financial Assistance will be given for publication of works of eminent writers and poets etc.
• Patrakar Puram will be established for providing residential facility and residential land to Journalist.