Assam Budget 2020-21: Here's All You Need to Know

Guwahati, March 6, 2020:

Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday unveiled the much awaited State Budget 2020-21 and announced a new set of allocations to accelerate progress in the Northeastern State.

Sarma's ethnic ensemble added to the charm and importance of the Budget day and here's all you need to know about the whats of the 18 flagship schemes of the government for this Financial Year -

1. Rs.1500 Crore has been allocated to acquire 13.65% additional stake in Numaligarh Refinery Ltd (NRL). The idea behind increasing the stake is to ensure that NRL remains a public sector undertaking in the long term and becomes an engine for growth for the State,

2. Rs 448 crore has been allocated for ANNA Yojana, under which supply of rice will be made free of cost for the Tea Garden Workers and all the beneficiaries under the National Food Security Act. The move aims to benefit an additional 53 Lakh families.

3. Rs. 400 crore to be provided to the Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC) for providing tariff relief to the general public.

4. Rs 650 crore for Jyotisman Asom, a scheme to provide free electricity to all households whose monthly electricity consumption is up to 30 units, considered sufficient to support basic electricity consumption needs of a household, like light bulbs etc

5. Rs 1000 Crore for Swami Vivekananda Youth Empowerment Yojana aimed at engaging youth in various economic activities without leaving their native places.

6. A third tranche of Rs. 3000 to 7,21,485 bank accounts will be released to enhance financial inclusion in the Tea Garden areas

7. Rs. 220 Crore in the Budget 2020-21 is allocated for the Chah Bagicha Dhan Puraskar.

8. Wage compensation for pregnant women, belonging to tea tribe

9. Wage compensation (Rs 18, 000 to be paid in 6 installments) of tea garden workers expanded from existing 6 months to 9 months

10. Pre-natal and post-natal health checkups and nutritional security will be provided to tea garden workers

11. 14,000 youths from the tea garden areas to get Rs. 25,000 each for starting entrepreneurial activities; additional 20,000 youths to get the same benefits in FY 20-21

12. Smartphones for approx. 4000 Tea Garden Sardars

13. Government to facilitate gratuity payment of approx. Rs. 50,000 to Tea workers

14. One-time support of Rs. 10,000 to Tea Tribes & Adivasi students who pass HSLC and HSC exams

15. Rs.150 Crore has been allocated for Arundhati scheme, which will provide financial assistance (Rs. 40,000) to newly married girls topurchasing gold for her marriage as financial security and to start a new life.

16. Rs. 505 Crore is allocated under the Panchayat & Rural Development Department

17. One time grant of Rs.25,000 for the ‘Family Assistance to Widows’ scheme

18. Scooties to all Jeevika Sakhis of Assam and a monthly travelling allowance of Rs 500 in addition to their monthly remuneration. Rs 650 Crore will be spent on these highly successful schemes.

19. Rs 550 crore for transformation of 57,617 Km of State highways and Major District and other Roads, conversion of 1000 timber bridges to RCC structures

20. Rs 250 Crore for upgradation of Industrial Roads in 7 districts

21.Admission fee waiver, free textbooks & uniforms in Government Schools under Pragyan Bharati scheme

22. Rs 1000 to 1 Lakh students for textbooks.

23. Textbook assistance of Rs 1500 and Rs 2000 for student at graduate and post graduate levels

24. Rs 500 crore for Assam Cancer Care Foundation. 3 tier Cancer Care Grid in 8 districts, Phase 1 within 2020-21

25. Rs 158 Crore for Free and dedicated bus services for women and senior citizens in Guwahati

26. Pink buses in busiest routes will be provided safe and comfortable rides

27. Free ride in ASTC for youth appearing in examination / interviews

28. Rs 10 lakh for infrastructure development to 915 religious institutions

29. Rs 2 Lakh Annuity Grant for each Devalaya in 2020-21

30. Rs 2.5 Lakh to 8000 Namghars for infra

31. Rs 614 cr for road connectivity improvement

32. Rs. 150 Crore for Yuva Arohan to develop Enterpreneurial skills in youths

33. Intro of ‘Entrepreneurship’ as a curricular subject from Class XI onwards

34. Rs. 350 crore for Sonali Shaishab Rupali Pathsala - School infrastructure upgradation at

Rs.25 Lakh per School for 200 Elementary Schools on pilot basis

35. Provincialisation of services of all teachers within August 2020. Provincialisation of

20,288 teachers under consideration

36. Rs 500 Crore as Special package for Moran, Mattak, Chutia & Ahom communities at Rs 125 Crore for each of the communities for preservation of ancient historical monuments, promotion & preservation of their indigenous culture & infrastructure development.

37. Assamese to be made compulsory subject in all English and other medium schools up to Class X.

38. One-time cash incentive of Rs. 50,000 each to 1000 Sport personnel, 1000 Artists and 1000 Mobile theater personalities.

39. Annually Rs 10000 to be provided to 27 lakh poor households through DBT, Rs 400 for medicines & Rs 430 for pulses, sugar, fruits & vegetables

40. A new University will be set up under the name and style Sati Sadhoni Rayjik Vishwavidyalaya in Golaghat District. Two new medical colleges in Sonari and Biswanath Chariali & a new Ayurvedic College at Dudhnoi, Goalpara will be set up.

41. Seven new Government Colleges, Borkhola in Cachar, Deaithor in Karbi Anglong, Kakopathar in Tinsukia, Katlicherra in Hailakandi, Lahorighat in Morigaon, Samaguri in Nagaon and Majer Alga in South Salmara, will be made functional.

42. Rs 25 Crore has been allocated to improve menstrual hygiene among adolescent girl students of the state

43. All electric vehicles registered in the name of women will be exempted from the registration fees.

44. Agricultural Income Tax holiday for Tea Industry.

45. Decrease in the taxes on Petrol and Diesel by 50 Paisa.

Support Inside Northeast (InsideNE), an independent media platform that focuses on Citizen-centric stories from Northeast India that are surprising, inspiring, cinematic and emotionally relevant.