Like the previous five State Budgets, this year's Budget too focuses on welfare. But this time around, the Budget plans to raise massive resources for comprehensive renovation of roads.

Presenting the Budget 2011-12 in the State Assembly, Dr Thomas Isaac, the Finance Minister, said the first step towards formulation of social security schemes is to prepare the BPL list.

Welfare Pension

The State would now have 35 to 40 lakh poor families included in this list, and all of them enrolled in the social security programme. The welfare pension has been raised by Rs 100 to Rs 400.

In another initiative, he said that for every child born, the Government would make a permanent deposit of Rs 10,000 as endowment. The accumulated interest and principal can be utilised to get a bank loan-linked support for higher studies or skill development training or self-employment after the child passes Plus Two (12th Standard).

For children not belonging to BPL families, half of the endowment would have to be borne by the family. The Finance Minister set apart Rs 100 crore for this.

The Rs 2 per kg rice scheme would be extended to forty lakh families.

Availability of essential commodities at 30 to 60 per cent below market price would be increased by at least 50 per cent every month. The annual subsidy to the Civil Supplies Corporation would be increased from Rs 50 crore to Rs 75 crore for this purpose. A programme to provide these essential commodities through public distribution outlets would be implemented.

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