Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. (File)
The state government has announced a Gujarat Aatmanirbhar package worth Rs 14,000 crore to help individuals, industries and businesses in the state.
The package announced by Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on late Thursday gives relief worth Rs 2,300 crore by partially waving off property tax, electricity bill and motor vehicle tax for individuals, commercial establishments and industrial entities. The government is also giving subsidies worth Rs 3,038 crore to industries.
Another Rs 458 crore is being allotted to help industrial units with estates operated by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC). Additionally, Rs 1,000 crore is being allocated as subsidies for the housing sector, as a part of which 1.6 lakh affordable houses will be built.
These announcements were made based on the recommendations of the first interim report submitted by the Economic Advisory Group, headed by former finance secretary Hasmukh Adhia.
The government has also allocated Rs 1,190 crore for agriculture, animal husbandry and fishing sectors, and Rs 525 crore for creating self-employment under Gujarat Aatmanirbhar Sahay Yojana-2, wherein entrepreneurs will be given loans between Rs 1-2.5 lakh through cooperative banks.The government had launched the scheme two weeks ago, wherein small loans up to Rs 1 lakh were promised to beneficiaries.
The government will also give Rs 466 crore as subsidies to migrant and tribal construction workers to build their own homes.
The government is giving a 20 percent relief in property tax to commercial entities for the year 2020-’21. This relief amounting to Rs 600 crore is expected to benefit 23 lakh commercial establishments. Residential owners in urban areas can also get a 10 percent discount if they pay the property tax before July 31, 2020. This relief of Rs 144 crore will benefit 72 lakh property owners.
In the power sector, the government will give a relief of Rs 650 crore to residential power consumers using less than 200 units of power in a month. Such consumers will not have to pay for a 100 units of power. This is a one-time relief.
For 33 lakh commercial consumers with Low Tension (LT) connections, the government will provide relief of Rs 200 crore by forgoing the fixed charges for the month of May, 2020. Similarly, High Tension (HT) consumers are being allowed to pay the fixed charges in four equal installments between September and December, 2020.
For small entrepreneurs and shop owners, electricity duty has been reduced by five percent for three months — June, July and August. This will provide benefits worth Rs 80 crore to 30 lakh shopkeepers, entrepreneurs and professionals.
Over 63,000 private bus owners, taxis and jeeps will be provided with relief worth Rs 221 crore, as the government has forgone road tax for six months between April and September, 2020.
In order to solve liquidity issues of the industrial sector, the government will provide capital and interest subsidies worth Rs 768 crore to industries till July, 2020. The government will also give Rs 1,200 crore as pending Goods and Service Tax (GST) and Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds to businessmen by July, 2020.
Under the Vajpayee Bankable Yojana, Rs 190 crore will be given to 27,000 entrepreneurs in the state by the end of next month. The government has also allocated Rs 4,374 crore as direct benefit transfer of pensions for elderly, widows and divyangs (differently-abled).
The government is also providing relief for natural gas used by ceramic industries in Morbi and Surendranagar, in addition to a cut in lease charges for plot owners in the Alang shipbreaking yard.