BHUBANESWAR: The State Budget for 2012-13 is likely to touch Rs 53,000 crore. The Council of Ministers, which met here on Friday, approved the Budget to be placed in the Assembly by Finance Minister Prafulla Chandra Ghadei on February 24. Sources said Water Resources and Rural Development departments, infrastructure development and different ongoing projects have got more funds provision. More provisions have also been made for different welfare programmes launched by the State Government. The Government had made a provision of Rs 2642.78 crore for different welfare programmes in 2011-12 Budget. The provisions for different welfare schemes are expected to cross Rs 3,200 crore in 2012-13 Budget. While the plan size has been fixed at Rs 17,000 crore, Rs 2,000 crore more than that in 2011-12, the non-plan provision will touch Rs 34,000 crore besides a likely provision of Rs 2,000 crore for different public sector undertakings (PSUs). The Budget for 2011-12 was Rs 44,878 crore, an increase of 15 per cent over Rs 39,388- crore Budget in 2010-11. It is expected that the 2012-13 Budget will also witness a 15 per cent increase over that of the last year. Because of the surplus revenue position due to growth in tax revenue, it is expected that the State Government will present a people-friendly Budget. The State is now clocking a growth rate of 9 per cent. As the poverty position remains the same despite the growth rate, more emphasis will be given on poverty alleviation and welfare programmes in the Budget. Sources said the Government will continue with the flagship ` 2-a-kg rice scheme. The provision in this regard is likely to be ` 900 crore. Social sectors like health and education will also get more attention in the Budget. The State Government has prepared the 12th five-year plan (2012-13 to 2016-17) with focus on infrastructure development and skill enhancement. For skill development, the Government may strengthen the existing vocational educational institutes like ITIs and polytechnics. More scholarships are likely to be announced for poor students to pursue higher studies in private engineering and medical colleges. The State needs about 2.5 lakh skilled manpower as against the existing 50,000. The Budget is expected to earmark more funds for qualitative and quantitative improvement of school and college educations in the State.
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