Chhattisgarh restores old pension scheme

Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel on Wednesday announced the restoration of the old pension scheme in the state.

An increase in annual sustenance allowance to landless workers from ₹6,000 to ₹7,000 and an increase in the MLAs local area development fund were among the other key announcements in the ₹1,04,000 crore budget for 2022-23 presented by Baghel. No new tax has been proposed for 2021-22.

Chhattisgarh is the second state after Rajasthan to announce restoration of the old pension scheme — a demand that is now being raised in Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Assam and Telangana. All states, except West Bengal, had opted for the new pension scheme from April 1, 2004.

According to Baghel the old pension scheme will be restored from April 1, 2022 in the state.

The revenue expenditure in the next fiscal is projected at ₹88,372 crore and the capital expenditure was pegged at ₹15,241 crore, 14.6% of the total expenditure, Baghel said. The total receipts expected is ₹1,04,000 crore, about 7% more than the estimated budget receipts in the current fiscal. The gross fiscal deficit is estimated at ₹14,600 crore, 3.3 % of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).

Baghel carried the budget documents in a briefcase made of cow-dung and in his speech, he also announced higher allocation for cow welfare.

Baghel also proposed to allocate ₹2 crore to the Chhattisgarh Rojgaar Mission to create new jobs by coordinating the skill development programme run in urban and rural areas. This is in addition to urban and rural employment guarantee schemes.

For carrying out development activities through public representatives, the MLA local area fund has been doubled from ₹4 crore. The chief minister also announced an increase in allowances of rural local body representatives such as panchayat members.

He announced increase in allowance from ₹ 6,000 to ₹7,000 under the Rajiv Gandhi Bhumihin Krishi Majdur Nyay Yojana for landless labourers, which was last month inaugurated by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Baghel said the budget focused on farmers, landless agricultural labourers, economically weaker sections and ushered better health and medical facilities, while creating new job opportunities for youth. The government has also proposed to allocate ₹123 crore to the Krishak Samagra Vikas Yojana to ensure the availability of high-quality certified seeds to the farmers.

“I am happy and satisfied that during the last three years, our government took steps towards fulfilling the dreams of Mahatma Gandhi. We have done what we had said about our heritage and development plans. We have taken many steps for establishing a village-centric economy and now, the Chhattisgarh model of development has got recognition in the country,” Baghel said.

“We will ensure easy availability of land for setting up of new industries, construction of government buildings, development of road and rail routes and other activities,” he said in the budget speech.

The CM said that the government has started Swami Atmanand Vidyalaya in Hindi from next year after opening 171 Atmanand English Medium Schools of Excellence, while announcing highest allocation of about ₹10,000 crore for the education sector.

The Public Works Department has been allocated ₹6,638 crore. “Provision of ₹228 crore for construction of state roads, ₹458 crore for construction of main district roads, ₹810 crore for construction of rural roads, ₹315 crore for construction of major and medium bridges and ₹90 crore for construction of railway over bridges have been made in the budget this year,” Baghel stated.

The CM 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.