Chandigarh, March 16– Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal said that the budget estimates of the year 2021-22 has been prepared with great sensitivity keeping in mind the people of the entire state. It is presented to the public rather than any particular region. He dedicated the budget to farmers with a special focus on the irrigation and agriculture sector.

The Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance portfolio, was giving his reply in the House today after discussion on budget estimates presented on March 12 in the State Assembly.

He said that Rs 5052 crore was earmarked for the agriculture sector in the previous budget of 2020-21, which has been increased to Rs 6111 crore in the budget estimates for the year 2021-22, shows a hike of 20.9 percent. He said that the members of the opposition are talking about reduction in budget allocation to the agricultural sector, while the reality is that it has been increased.

Similarly, the previous year's budget estimates for irrigation were Rs 2892 crore, whereas budget estimates for year 2021-22 have been increased to Rs 5081 crore, with an increase of 75 percent. He also informed the House that a big portion would be spent on renovation work of Western Yamuna Canal from Hathnikund Barrage to Bhaloth Branch. Similarly, big projects would be implemented under micro irrigation projects and expression of interest has been invited for this.

The Chief Minister said that data has a special significance in the budget estimates. “Agriculture and Irrigation sectors are ultimately for the farmers and farming, therefore, I am dedicating this budget to the farmers”, he added.

While replying to the allegation of the difference leveled by Congress legislature Mrs Kiran Choudhary between the Hindi and English figures in Prime Minister Crop Insurance Scheme, he said that para 56 states that Rs 9,14,273 has been covered for insurance to farmers, while in English it is Rs 9.14 lakh, which is same thing. Does Mrs Kiran Choudhry not know the decimal formula ?, he added. If this number was 9,14,773 in Hindi, then it would have been written in English as 9.15 lakh which is natural.

The Chief Minister said that similarly, Mrs. Chaudhary has leveled allegations reducing the electricity subsidy by Rs. 440 crores. The reduction in electricity subsidy is indicative of the fact that the government has stopped power theft and the performance of power companies has improved. Now the power companies are in profit, as a result, they have presented a dividend check of Rs 115 crore to the state government. Likewise, Mrs Kiran Choudhary has accused wastages of crores of rupees in the name of Saraswati River. Saraswati is a symbol of our culture and it is a matter of great pride that its origin is Adibadri near Yamunanagar, which is being developed through the formation of the State Saraswati Heritage Board. The annual budget of the Board is merely Rs 1.15 crore. Whereas the total budget of the State for the year 2021-22 is 1,55,645 crore.

 The Chief Minister also assured the House that despite Covid-19, we have been able to maintain the norms of fiscal responsibility and finance management and are in a far better position than our neighboring states of Punjab and Rajasthan.