Rajasthan Assembly passes 2022-23 budget

The Rajasthan legislative assembly on Monday passed the state budget by voice vote with Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot making several announcements including discontinuation of 10 percent monthly deduction from the salaries of state government employees for the new pension scheme from April this year.

He also announced a policy regarding the opening of medical colleges in the private sector to provide more opportunities for medical studies in the state.

"Now, I declare to do away with the monthly deduction of 10 percent from the salary payable on April 1, 2022, for the employees appointed on and after January 1, 2004," Gehlot said.

He said the deduction made earlier from the salary will be given to the employees with interest payable on GPF at the time of their retirement.

The chief minister had announced the revival of the old pension scheme for the state government employees appointed on and after January 1, 2004, in the state budget presented on February 23.

On Monday, Gehlot was replying to the debate on the Rajasthan Appropriation Bill (Number 2) 2022 and the Finance Bill 2022, in the House. After his reply, the bills were passed.

He said the government has presented the budget for the coming financial year with full commitment .

Gehlot, whiling dismissed apprehensions raised by some members of the opposition regarding the budget announcements, said, "I assure the members of the House that you should rest assured, this budget has been presented with the commitment. We will implement it."

"The financial management in Rajasthan has been excellent during my government's tenure and we are confident that it will continue," he said.

Attacking the BJP, Gehlot said it has mastery over fabulous marketing even if they work less .

On the other hand, we keep doing work and don't market (it)."

He said the opposition is deliberately raising accusations over budget implementation.

"Why are you worrying? We are in government. If we are not able to implement budget announcements then we will get a bad name. We have fabulous financial management and we will implement budget announcements on the ground and there is no need to doubt it. We have already given 100 administrative approvals for the (100) announcements made in the budget," Gehlot said.

He said after the Rajasthan government brought all its employees under the purview of the old pension scheme (OPS), Chhattisgarh has also announced it and many other states are also mulling the idea.

He said he has urged the prime minister to implement the old pension scheme so that the employees of the central government as well as All India Services, along with the employees of state governments, can get financial security guarantee after retirement.

Replying to the debate that the state is burdened with massive loans, the chief minister said, "The state government cannot take loans without the approval of the Centre. If the GSDP is high then more loans are sanctioned. The governments take loans for developmental work. A loan is taken if you have the capacity to repay it. We have the capacity to repay the loan so we have taken it."

Among the major announcements that Gehlot made based on the suggestions received from legislators include Janta clinics, which will run on government expenditure for which an amount of Rs 200 crore has been proposed.

In the next financial year also, 100 new public clinics will be opened, along with the previous Janta clinics that were started on PPP mode.

Besides, Gehlot announced the formation of the Food Safety and Control Commissionerate to deal with adulteration, upgradation of 500 government primary schools to upper primary and 250 upper primary to senior secondary, providing self-defense training to 2lakh girls in government schools next year, priority to winners in rural Olympics on contractual jobs in rural panchayat, pension of Rs 20,000 per month for sportspersons above 40 years of age, formation of cadre of female sub-inspectors, recruitment of 2,000 additional Home Guard jawans and link command control center with panic button in bus, taxi and other public transport.