New Delhi: Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented the first state budget on Monday, three months after the AAP came to power by winning the assembly elections held here on February 20.
In a big announcement, Punjab Finance Minister in the State Assembly announced that the promise of free electricity will be fulfilled from July 1, 2022, news agency ANI reported.
The Bhagwant Mann administration has allocated Rs 11,560 crore for agriculture in a major announcement for Punjab's farmers. A total of 200 crore would be allocated to address the issue of stubble burning, which has become a source of concern in northern India, particularly Delhi-NCR.
Harpal Singh Cheema, the state finance minister, began presenting the budget on Monday by discussing the government's anti-corruption effort. He also mentioned Mann's conduct against Vijay Singla, his own minister who was just ousted from the cabinet.
Throughout addition, the state government has vowed to establish 16 medical colleges in the state within the following five years. "This brings the overall number of colleges to 25," Cheema told the state legislature. A total of 30 crore has been set aside for student scholarships.
Mohall clinics will now be established in Punjab, after Delhi. "This government proposes to establish 'Mohall/ Pind clinics” in order to decentralise the public health services to the lowest level. This year the government plans to establish 117 Mohalla Clinics for which an initial allocation of Rs 77 crore is being proposed. Seventy-five of these Mohalla Clinics will be operationalised by August 15 - India's 75th Independence Day," the minister said.
Following in the footsteps of the Delhi administration, the 'Farishtey' programme would be implemented in the border province as well. A person can use this to transport a casualty of a road accident to any hospital in the state. The injured will receive free care, with the Mann administration bearing the whole expense.