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The Himachal Pradesh government announced an unemployment allowance of Rs 1,000 and increased salaries of PTA teachers in the Budget 2013-14 presented in the Assembly today.
The Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who presented budget for a record 16th time, also announced food and power subsidies of around Rs 450 crore.
Milk procurement price has also been increased from the Rs 17.80 a litre to Rs 18.80 per litre from April 1, 2013.
Each MLA would be given a budget of Rs 2 lakh as discretionary grant fund.
Except for doubling VAT on cigarettes and bidis to 36 per cent and 22 per cent respectively and rationalisation of VAT on footwears, no other tax has been proposed in the Rs 21,767.26-crore budget for next financial year.
The budget proposals, however, leave a deficit of Rs 2,324 crore which would be met through borrowings.
The Chief Minister announced a skill development allowance of Rs 1,000 per month to be given to 10+2 and above educated unemployed youth.
This rate will be Rs 1,500 per month for persons with disabilities. Interest subvention of 4 per cent would be given up to project cost of Rs 1.50 lakh.
The Chief Minister proposed hike in PTA grants to lecturer school cadre from Rs 7,250 to Rs 10,875; for the TGT from Rs 6,950 to Rs 10,425; and for C&V teachers from Rs 6,750 to Rs 10,125.
The budget also announced Rs 270 crore to subsidise domestic power consumers and an outlay of Rs 175 crore for the state food subsidy scheme.
The expenditure on committed liabilities has been pegged at Rs 16,003 crore (73.54 per cent). Salaries, pensions and interest and loan repayments alone account for Rs 13,947 crore (64.09 per cent).
However, the budget deficit was expected to be 2.85 per cent of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP).
The total revenue receipts are estimated at Rs 17,700 crore while the total revenue expenditure is estimated at Rs 17,646 crore leaving a revenue surplus of Rs 54 crore.
The expected receipts in capital account of the government are Rs 3,540 crore and Rs 650 crore in Public Account including Provident Fund while the Capital expenditure, including loan repayments is estimated at Rs 4,120 crore.
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