The Hindu Business Line : A gender-friendly budget from Vasundhara Raje

Chennai, Feb. 28 With an eye on the Assembly elections due later this year and a special focus on bettering the lot of women, the Rajasthan Chief Minister, Ms Vasundhara Raje, who also holds the finance portfolio, presented the State Budget on February 25, including several incentives for women.

The highlight of the Budget was a massive financial inclusion programme for poor families, particularly those below the poverty line (BPL). To cost the State exchequer Rs 750 crore, this scheme dangles a carrot of a gift of Rs 1,500 from the State Government, when poor families open a bank account in the name of a woman. This money would be deposited in the bank account, which would be enabled with a smart card.

This smart card would be used for direct transfers of funds into the family’s account where members are eligible for other development programmes, such as old age pension or wages under the Rural Employment Guarantee Schemes. According to a statement from the Rajasthan Government, this scheme hopes to “draw women across the State into the formal financial and banking system and ensure they have access to credit, enabling them to start micro-enterprises.” It added that this scheme, which will be later extended to socially disadvantaged groups such as SCs, STs and farmers “will draw women across the State into the formal financial system and ensure they have access to credit, bank loans, etc.”

This scheme will cover 50 lakh families and the smart card will also be used for the health insurance scheme announced in the Budget for BPL families.

Other measures for women include a women’s hockey academy to be established in Ajmer next year and increasing reservation for women in all Panchayati Raj institutions from 33 to 50 per cent.

The Rajasthan Budget has also raised the minimum daily wage for unskilled workers from Rs 73 to Rs 100, and has announced that all girls completing the required agricultural education would be appointed as Agricultural Supervisors.

Presenting the Budget, Ms Raje said: “In four years, the Government has significantly enhanced the physical and social infrastructure of Rajasthan. This year we intend to not just consolidate the progress we have made in the last four years but also set the pace for all-round development. We are proud to present an inclusive Budget which provides a fillip to industry, while taking due care of the economically weaker sections of the society.”

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