Gujarat govt presents populist Vote-on-Account

GANDHINAGAR: Like the pro-farmer and pro-poor populist union budget this year, now the Gujarat's BJP-lead government has also tried to woo the voters through anouncements in Vote-on-Account.

Nitin Patel, deputy chief minister and finance minister of Gujarat, presented the Vote-on-Account in which he made several key announcements including Rs 500-crore revolving fund for the immediate payment of the interest subsidy.

The Gujarat government also increased allocation for the fishermen as well as increased medical insurance base of the popular Ma Vatsalya scheme.

Key announcements

# 40 lakh farmers of Gujarat will benefit from PM Kisan Sanman Yojna

# Rs 500-crore revolving fund proposed to provide timely interest subsidy

# The Gujarat's economy registered a growth of 11.2 per cent in 2017-18

# 8 new water desalination plants will be developed

# 5K hectares land will be allocated for prawn culture activity

# VAT subsidy on diesel for fishing boat by Rs 3 per liter

# Daily livelihood allowance increased from Rs 150 to Rs 300 for the families of fishermen caught by Pakistan

# In addition to routine allocation for water development Rs 329 cr proposed to repair check dams

# Routine allocation of Rs 6,945 cr for Narmada canal development in 2019-20

# Ma Vatsalya insurance cover increased from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. 68 lakh beneficiaries to get benefit

# Income limit for MA scheme hiked from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 4 lakh pa

# Medical colleges establishment work at Amreli, Nadiyad and Visnagar in progress

# Gandhinagar and Sola civil hospitals will be developed as super specialty hospitals

# Widow pension increased from Rs 1000 to Rs 1250 per month

# Anganwadi workers' monthly remuneration increased from Rs 6,300 to Rs 7,200 per month

# Government to start 8 more new Samras hostels in 2019-20

# Old age pension increased by 50%. Now senior citizens to get Rs 750 per month instead of Rs 500 per month

# Allocation for various welfare corporation increase from Rs 100 cr to Rs 150 cr

# 135 new ROB(Railway Over bridges) proposed

# For Jain monks, Ahmedabad to Shankheswar pathways will be built at the cost of Rs 20cr

# 54 new flyovers in municipal corporations and 21 in municipalities proposed

# Rs 500 cr infrastructure fund for newly-added areas in municipal corporations and municipalities

# 7.64 lakh families to get homes in municipal corporations and municipalities and urban development authorities by 2022 under PM Awas yojna

# Government announced to waive principal and interest and penalty on electricity bills of BPL families

# Renewable Energy (RE) power generation capacity will be increased up to 19700 MW by 2025 from present 7922 MW