Jaipur, February 13: In less than 24 hours, the Rajasthan government seems to be backtracking on its Rs 8,000 crore loan waiver for farmers. The Vasundhara Raje government made big announcements in the state budget for 2018-19 ahead of the polls scheduled later this year.
According to News18, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has reportedly said that there is no guarantee of fulfilling budget announcements. “People must trust BJP government’s track record,” Raje said.
Raje had announced a Rs 8,000-crore loan waiver for farmers, Rs 650 crore tax relief and Rs 44,135 crore expenditure on social and community schemes in the budget presented in the Assembly on Monday.
Raje, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the budget which envisage total outlay of Rs 1,07,865.40 crore on schemes and projects.
A major share of the proposed outlay, 40.92 per cent, amounting to Rs 44,135.20 crore has been allocated to social and community services schemes. Power sector got 25.08 per cent while and rural development sector 13.42 per cent of the planned outlay.
Raje announced one-time crop loan waiver up to Rs 50,000 for small and marginal farmers, exemption of lagaan on land (land revenue) and constitution of Rajasthan state Farmers Debt Relief Commission for settlement of crop loans on merit basis. The loan waiver would cost Rs 8,000 crore to the exchequer.
The estimated fiscal deficit for 2018-19 is Rs 28,011.21 crore, which is 2.98 per cent of GSDP while estimated total revenue receipt for 2018-19 is Rs 1,51,663.50 crore.
The budget has the estimated revenue deficit of Rs 5,454.85 crore without the effect of UDAY scheme and 17,454.85 crore with the effect of UDAY scheme.
With inputs from PTI