KALIA DESCRIBES PUNJAB BUDGET AS PROGRESSIVE, GROWTH ORIENTED AND PRO-PEOPLE

CHANDIGARH, Sanjay Pahwa:

Local Government and Industries Minister Mr. Manoranjan Kalia today described the State Budget-2011-12 presented by the Finance Minister Dr. Upinderjit Kaur as progressive, growth oriented and pro-people, which would further boost the tempo of overall development in the state.

In a statement Mr. Kalia said that the power sector has been given the lion's share of 30% of the total outlay for 2011-12 which is not only creditable but also unprecedented in the history of state finances. He said that Rs. 3300 crore allotted under power sector would be primarily spent on strengthening on transmission, generation, distribution and maintenance and up-gradation of other schemes. Likewise a sum of Rs. 919 crore has been allocated in the year 2011-12 to PIDB for creation of infrastructure which would certainly give fillip to strengthen the infrastructure base in the state.

Mr. Kalia also lauded the path breaking step to earmark Rs. 20 crore for the seed Corpus of a Cancer Relief Fund, dedicated to the welfare of cancer patients. New schemes like Mai Bhago Vidya Scheme with an outlay of Rs. 75 crore, to provide free bicycles to all girl students studying in classes 11th and 12th in all government schools and a provision of Rs. 26 crore to make the education of the girls genuinely free up to class 12 were really the landmark decisions to herald revolution in school education. Restoration of pension to the teachers of the state-aided schools, who were deprived of the same by the previous government was also a welcome step, said Mr. Kalia.

Mr. Kalia also appreciated the vision of the SAD-BJP government in enhancing the outlay for social security by 24% to Rs. 924 crore, of which Rs. 591 crore has been earmarked for the old age and other pensions to 19.70 lac beneficiaries. He also commended the government for showing special concern for the well-being of the socially disadvantaged sections of the society, who are beset with socio-economic and educational backwardness, for which an outlay of Rs. 275 crore has been earmarked for the year 2011-12. Special efforts have been made to ensure women empowerment and balanced growth of rural and urban sectors in the state budget with the allocation of adequate funds, added Mr. Kalia.