Chhattisgarh announces sops, freebies in budget

NEW DELHI: With elections round the corner, there is a rush towards populism. Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh, who presented the state���s budget on Monday, restructured the Chief Minister���s Food Assistance Programme and made 37 lakh Antodays families beneficiaries of Re 1 per kg rice and free iodized salt. The move will cost the exchequer Rs 1,458 cr.
In an attempt to consolidate the BJP���s support aiming the farming community, the chief minister had announced a bonus of Rs 270 per quintal over and above the procurement price to paddy farmers.

The government, which showered largess on farmers, brought down short term agricultural credit to 3% and free electricity for agriculture pumps up to 5HP capacity. There has been also been a quantum jump in the allocations for food security, nutrition and education sectors. ���There has been a 43% increase in the allocation for school education. The government will also recruit 35,000 new teachers,��� the chief minister said.

Mr Singh also announced sops for the trade and industry. While small traders having annual turnover of less than Rs 10 lakh have been exempted from professional tax, biofuel has been made tax free. SSI units have been given the relaxation to file quarterly instead of monthly VAT returns.

In his budget speech, the chief minister reiterated the commitment of his government to combat Naxalite violence. ���The police budget for 2009-10 has been increased by 22% to Rs 941 crore. with special focus on security related infrastructural needs in the worst affected districts of Bijapur and Dantewada,��� the chief minister said.