Himachal Pradesh Budget 2013 Highlights

• Every department in State Government will scrutinize it's Acts, Rules and Guidelines and suggest amendments to simplify the procedures and to make them citizen centric.  

• A State Commissioner (Public Grievances) to be appointed to monitor timely disposal of public grievances.  

• An "Administrative Boundaries Reorganization Commission" will be set up for re-organization of boundaries of administrative units of various departments.  

• A State Innovation Fund to be set up with an initial outlay of `5 crore to encourage departments to try new initiatives.  

• Direct Benefit Transfer under all state scholarship and welfare schemes.  

• An outlay of 175 crore proposed for the state food subsidy scheme.  

• Annual plan outlay of `4100 crore proposed for 2013-14.  

• Each MLA to be given a budget of 2 lakh as discretionary grant fund.  

• "Integrated Crop Diversification Programme" to be started to bring additional 3000 hectare area under vegetable cultivation.  

• "Mukhyamantri Adarsh Krishi Gaon Yojna" under which 68 selected panchayats will be given a grant of 10 lakh each for agricultural Infrastructure.  

• Production of mushroom will be treated as an agriculture activity.  

• Organic Certification Agency to be established to provide the facility of organic certification to the farmers in the state.  

• Seeds of high yielding variety of maize, paddy and fodder to be provided at 50% subsidy to the farmers for the coming kharif season.  

• Token tax exempted for tractors for agriculture purpose.  

• One Panchayat in each district which is completely free of stray animals to be given an award of `5 lakh.  

• Financial assistance to the NGOs/Trusts for setting up and running of Gaushalas for provision of cowsheds, fodder etc.  

• Procurement price of apple, mango kinnow, malta and galgal to be increased by 50 paisa per KG.  

• Anti hail nets to horticulturists on 80% subsidy.  

• Procurement price of milk increased from the existing `17.80 to `18.80 per litre w.e.f. 1st April, 2013.  

• 1 crore 90 lakh to be provided for renovationof inland fish landing centres near reservoirs.  

• Six new monkey sterilization centres to be started.  

• New ICDP project for Shimla, Kangra and Kullu districts.  

• Housing Grant under Rajiv Awas Yojna and state housing schemes to be increased from 48500 to 75000.

• Bi-monthly reimbursement of 350 to be given to BDOs, Tehsildars, Naib Tehsildars and officers in charge of police stations, chowkis and fire stations for use of mobile phone.  

• Water supply at 70 LPCD to additional 2500 habitations, 2000 hand pumps to be installed during the next financial year.  

• High Powered Committee for speedy clearances of Hydroprojects.  `270 crore to subsidise domestic consumers of electricity.  

• 75 crore equity contribution to HPSEBL.  

• Provision of `230 crore for payment of energy charges for lift irrigation and lift water supply schemes.  

• Three new state of the art industrial areas to be developed in district Una, Solan and Kangra.  

• Clearances for industrial projects to be made time bound and brought under Public Services Guarantee Act.  

• Concessional CST of 1.5% on the existing industrial units and 1% on new industrial units.  

• 10 crore to be provided for construction and upgradation of the Bus Stands at subdivisions and blocks.  

• Grant and equity of `160 crore to HRTC in 2013-14.  

• Facility of filing e-returns, e-declaration, etax payment and issue of C&F forms to be extended to registered dealers having annual turnover of `40 lakh and above.  

• Registration fee under the H.P. VAT Act, Central Sales Tax Act, Passenger & Good Tax Act and Luxury Tax Act to be abolished for the new dealers.  

• HP Traders Welfare Board to be revived.  

• 9% VAT on all types of footwear.  

• VAT on aviation turbine fuel to be reduced from 5% to 1%.  

• New hotels in the backward panchayats to be exempted from payment of luxury tax for a period of 10 years.  

• Free travel facility to government school students for going to and coming from schools in HRTC buses w.e.f. 1st April, 2013.

• Patients suffering from cancer and spinal injuries and those on dialysis to be provided free travel facility in HRTC buses along with one attendant.  

• Re-opening of schools denotified and closed by the previous government.  

• PTA grants to Lecturer School Cadre to be increased from `7250 to 10875, for the TGT from `6950 to `10425, and for C&V teachers from 6750 to 10125.  

• Smart classrooms to be started in 618 Government Senior Secondary Schools and 837 Govt. High Schools.  

• Vocational education in 100 new senior secondary schools.

• 5 thousand meritorious students of 10th and12th class to be provided Net books/tabletsunder Rajiv Gandhi Digital Student Yojna.  

• Student of Himachal Pradesh who getsadmission in IITs, IIMs or AIIMS to be given a cash incentive of `75 thousand.  

• New ITIs will be opened in all the Vidhan Sabha constituencies without a government ITI.  

• New engineering college under RUSA in district Kangra.  

• Cash prize given to the outstanding players of the state to be doubled. Award money of 50 Parshuram awardees to be enhanced from existing `50000 to `1 lakh.  

• Monthly incentive to be increased from `15000 to `25000 and from `25000 to `40000 to encourage PG doctors to opt for interior locations.  

• Higher Education Allowance for doctors acquiring PG Degree to be raised from `5000 to `7000 PM and for those acquiring PG diploma from `2000 to `3500 PM.  

• VAT on cigarette, cigar etc. to be increased from 18% to 36% and on bidis from 11% to 22%.  

• At least 20% women to be recruited at constable and Sub Inspector level.  

• Assistance given for remarriage of widows and inter caste marriage to be enhanced from 25000 to 50,000.  

• Mahila Kalyan Board' will be set up in the state.  

• Allocation of `1014 crore under the Scheduled Caste Sub Plan and `369 crore under Tribal Sub-Plan.  

• Social Security pension to be increased from `450 to `500 pm. Pensioners above 80 years of age will be given pension @ `1000 PM. All pending applications to be cleared.  

• Assistance under `Mukhya Mantri Kanya Daan Yojna', to be raised from `21000 to`25000 w.e.f. 1st April, 2013.  

• Ex-servicemen pension to be raised to `500 per month from April, 2013.  Amount of War Jagir to be increased from ` 2000 to `3000.  

• Grant of uniform allowance to non-gazetted ranks of police to be doubled.  

• 10 courts of Additional District and Session Judge and 2 courts of Civil Judge(Junior Division) will be set up in the State.  

• "Skill Development Allowance" of `1000 per month to be given to 10+2 and above educated unemployed youth. This rate will be `1500 per month for persons with disabilities.

• Interest subvention of 4% to be given up to project cost of `1.50 lakh.  

• `State Skill Development Council' to be established.  

• 2000 posts of teachers of different categories, 500 posts of data entry operators/computer operators, 500 posts of water guards, 500 posts of patwaris, 250 JEs/ surveyors, 200 forest guards, 200 posts of Panchayat sahayaks and 100 posts of nurses and all vacant posts of doctors to be filled up.

• Winter allowance for employees in tribal and hard areas increased from `200 to `300 per month.

• Fixed Medical allowance for employees and pensioners increased from `250 to `350 per month.

• Contractual employees completing 6 years of service, Daily wage employees completing 52 7 years of service as on 31st March 2013 to be regularized as per norms.

• Part timers including part time water carriers in the education department who complete 9 years of continuous service as on 31st March 2013 will be made daily wagers as per norms.

• Financial assistance to the registered workers engaged in building and construction activities to be enhanced.