Gujarat Budget 2018 Highlights: Nitin Patel Announces Free Cycles For 1.84 Lakh Girls, Promises 30,000 New Jobs

Ahmedabad, Feb 20: Gujarat Finance Minister Nitin Patel on Tuesday presented the first budget of the Bharatiya Janata Party-government, led by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. In his budget speech, Nitin

Ahmedabad, Feb 20: Gujarat Finance Minister Nitin Patel on Tuesday presented the first budget of the Bharatiya Janata Party-government, led by Chief Minister Vijay Rupani. In his budget speech, Nitin Patel announced a free cycle scheme for girls and promised to create 30,000 new jobs for youths in the next fiscal. “Our government policies and development are two sides of the same coin,” said Patel.

The Finance Minister said revenue surplus in Gujarat increased to Rs 5,946 crore in FY 2016-17 from Rs 1,704 crore in FY 2015-16. The fiscal deficit has come down to 1.42 per cent of GSDP in 2016-17 from 2.24 per cent of GSDP in 2015-16, he said. To woo farmers, Rs 6,755 crore has been allocated for agriculture, farmers welfare and cooperation department in the state budget.

Here are the highlights of the Gujarat Budget 2018:

• Government allocates Rs 3 lakh per farm for setting up 12 milch animal farms.
• Rs 500 crore provision for providing crop loans at zero percent.
• The Mukhyamantri Apprenticeship Scheme is announced under which youth will get Rs 3,000 per month with training.
• 30,000 new recruitments will be made in various departments of the government in next year.
• Government allocates Rs 44 crore for developing and improving the infrastructure of Gaushala and Panjrapoles.
• 10 schemes at a cost of Rs 2800 crore has been started in tribal areas for providing clean drinking water.
• A total provision of Rs 210 crore has been made for the development of infrastructure facilities in Ahmedabad.
• Government allocates Rs 506 crore for the economically backward.
• A provision of Rs 592 crore has been announced for metro train project in Ahmedabad.