Punjab FM Harpal Singh Cheema presents state budget; crosses mark of Rs 2 lakh crore for the first time

Today, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema will present the budget of 2024-25 and the second budget of the Hon’ble government. The Punjab government led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is going to present its second budget (Budget 2024).

Today is a big day for the people of Punjab because today the Punjab government is going to present its annual budget for the financial year 2024-25 (Punjab Assembly Budget 2024). This budget will be presented by Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema.

Emphasizing on education, the Finance Minister said that schools of eminence have now become a reality. Students are being provided quality education. Apart from this, great achievements are being made in the field of health. Aam Aadmi Clinics are proving to be very beneficial for people.

The Finance Minister said that the growth rate has reached 13 percent during his government. While it was very less during the previous governments. He calculated the growth rate from 2013 to 2022. The Finance Minister said that the government is delivering canal water to the last till of the fields. It is trying to save Punjab from becoming a desert.

• Budgetary outlay of ₹16,987 crore for education, 11.5% of the total expenditure.
• 118 Government schools to undergo transformation into state-of-the-art Schools of Eminence
• 100 government senior secondary schools to be transformed as “Schools of Brilliance”
• ‘School of Applied Learning’ to be established

Higher Education

• Following allocations have been made
• Rashtriya Uchchattar Shiksha Abhiyan Rs 80 crore
• For improvement of infrastructure and other facilities Rs 10 crore
• CM Scholarship for concession in University Fee Rs 6 crore
• For providing Sanitary Napkins Rs 5 crore

Grant In Aid to Universities and Constituent Colleges

• Budgetary allocation of Rs1,425 crore proposed
• Rs 40 crore for development of research-related infrastructure in PAU
• Rs 40 crore for Hostel construction at Panjab University, Chandigarh

SPORTS & YOUTH SERVICES

• Budgetary outlay of ₹272 crore for Sports and Youth Services
• 1,000 Sports Nurseries to be established
• Rs 34 crore for MBSP Sports University

Forestry and Wildlife

• New Scheme to enact wildlife mitigation measures proposed
• Rs 263 crore for supporting forestry efforts

Tourism and Cultural Affairs

• Rs 166 crore for Tourism and Cultural affairs
• Rs 30 crore for the construction, upkeep, and preservation of memorials
• Rs 30 crore for branding Tourism of state
• Efforts to develop Ranjit Sagar Dam as Tourist destinations

Infrastructure

• Rs 600 crore allocated for PMGSY-III
• Rs 2,695 crore for Roads and Bridges
• Rs 30 crore for bridges in Sri Anandpur Sahib

Rural development

• Rs 3,154 crore for Rural Development
• Rs 655 crore for providing employment in MGNREGS
• Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan: Rs 20 crore
• PMKSY: Rs 20 crore, Rs 120 crore under NRLM