Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu presented a supplementary budget of Rs. 10,307.59 crores for the fiscal year 2023-24 in the Legislative Assembly on Friday. Under this, Rs. 7,267.41 crores have been allocated for state projects and Rs. 3,040.18 crores for centrally sponsored schemes. Within state projects, primarily Rs. 3,367.76 crores for wages and means, Rs. 696.44 crores for water supply and sanitation schemes, Rs. 598.71 crores for pensions and other retirement benefits, Rs. 372.66 crores for Himachal Road Transport Corporation assistance, Rs. 279.32 crores for electricity supply and HPSEBL loans, Rs. 215.02 crores for hospital construction, Himcare scheme, and Chief Minister Medical Assistance Fund, Rs. 110.76 crores for roads and bridges, Rs. 110.67 crores for multi-purpose buildings, mini-secretariats, construction and maintenance of state guesthouses in Dwarka, New Delhi, Rs. 102.47 crores for railway projects have been allocated.
In the 15th Finance Commission and under the AMRUT scheme, Rs. 96.25 crores for urban local bodies, construction of Dhalli tunnel and Khalini flyover, Rs. 87.26 crores for interest payments, Rs. 80.85 crores for polytechnic colleges, ITIs, senior secondary schools, and college buildings, and salary payments, Rs. 71.18 crores for rehabilitation of disaster-affected families and reconstruction of NDRF building in Salapar, Rs. 63.87 crores for HP Shiva project and procurement of pesticides, Rs. 61.79 crores for Chief Minister Sukh Aashray Fund, social security pensions for women, and grants for dependents of deceased employees.
Rs. 57.45 crores for modernization of police force, installation of CCTV cameras in police stations, and wages for laborers, Rs. 55.95 crores for integrated development projects by the forest department and Jaika project, Rs. 47.43 crores for natural disaster relief, assistance to Himachal Pradesh Skill Development Corporation and implementation of Rajiv Gandhi Rozgar Yojana, Rs. 38.45 crores for pending liabilities from previous elections and preparations for upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Most of the amount under centrally sponsored schemes is proposed for current and new development projects funded by the central government during this year. Similarly, Rs. 1,590.52 crores for disaster management received from NDRF, Rs. 525 crores for Prime Minister’s Gram Sadak Yojana, Rs. 207.23 crores for compensation to displaced persons due to Sri Renukaji Dam, Rs. 171.31 crores for STARS project, Rs. 149.49 crores for Smart City Mission Shimla, Rs. 50.70 crores for Prime Minister’s Agricultural Irrigation Scheme, Rs. 48.98 crores for Smart City Mission Dharamshala, Rs. 48.34 crores for Central Road Fund, Rs. 45.94 crores for National Ayush Mission, and Rs. 41.20 crores for proposed micro food processing.