West Bengal Budget 2021: what are the highlights?

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday presented the vote-on-account state budget for 2021-22. Banerjee presented the budget instead of state finance minister Amit Mitra who unwell.

Banerjee said that the GDP of the state has increased by 2.5 per cent and announced an allocation of around Rs 2,99,006 crores in the budget proposal. She also announced several new projects.

Some of the major highlights includes giving tabs for online study to students, focus on improving education of children of tea workers in north Bengal, proposal to build 100 schools in these areas over the next five years, setting up of 100 schools to teach regional languages like Nepali, Hindi, Kamatapuri, and so on.

The main highlights:

• State planned expenditure increased 7.2 times.
• Revenue collection increased 2.9 times.
• State GDP increased 2.7 times.
• Students will receive tabs under the ‘Taruner Sopno’ scheme.
• Expenditure in physical infrastructure increased by 3.9 times
• Expenditure in social sector increased 5.6 times.
• Duare Sarkar and Paray Samadhan will be conducted twice a year.
• Swastha Sathi card can be renewed every three years and anyone can become a part of it at any time.
• Loan provision of Rs. 25,000 crores announced for 10 lakh new self-help groups. These self-help groups will be named as Matribandana. They will be given loan from cooperative banks in the next five years.
• Rs 50 crore will be allotted in the next financial year for the Madrasas.
• Netaji battalion will be introduced in Kolkata Police.
• Jay Hind Bhawan will be constructed in every district of the state.
• Construction of new roadways will take place in Cooch Behar.
• Construction of new flyovers in Paikpara to Sealdah, Ruby Hospital area to Kalikapur, Jadavpur to Prince Anwar Shah Road
• Tourism industry will receive loans between Rs 50,000 to Rs 1 lakh.
• West Bengal Highways and Bridge Corporation to be set up.
• IT sectors will receive plots in Rajarhat.
• In the next two years, Andal airport will be projected as the second international airport of the state.
• Complete exemption of road tax from January 1, 2021 to June 30, 2021 for all passenger transport vehicles.
• Yuvashakti, a new project launched by the state government where 10,000 students will be inducted into different government organisations as interns every three years and they will be given opportunity to work in government organisations.
• Rs. 50 crore allotment for 100 new English medium schools for ST/ST and economically backward people.
• 20 lakh houses to be constructed for SC/ST. Rs, 1,500 crores allotted for this purpose.
• 45 lakh construction and transport workers will be given Rs.1,000 rupees under social security scheme.
• 500 para-teachers will be recruited for 100 new Nepali, Hindi and Urdu schools.
• 1500 para-teachers will be recruited for 500 Santhali schools.
• 100 English medium schools will be constructed for the tribal people.
• The para-teachers will enjoy a hike of 3% every year.