GUWAHATI:
Assam has set a target of Rs 5.50 lakh crore Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by the next fiscal year and this will cross the GDP of all the states of the country.
This was stated by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in his reply to the debate on the Governor’s speech on the fourth day of the budget session of the Assam Legislative Assembly on March 15.
“This year, the GDP will touch Rs 4.93 lakh crore. Next year our GDP projection is Rs 5.50 lakh crore. Within three years, we cross Punjab in GDP. I just need three years. Assam’s position in GDP is 17 and Punjab’s GDP is 16th in India routing. We already cross Chattisgarh and Chandigarh, now we are chasing Punjab,” Sarma said.
“Punjab’s GDP is now Rs 6.80 lakh crore, we will be Rs 5.50 lakh crore in the next year. After three years, Assam’s GDP will cross Punjab’s GDP. I told this on the floor of the assembly with a responsibility.
“We can’t fill up the gap of the last 75 years. But in the last year, growth of per capita income in Assam was 14 per cent against 17 per cent national average. We are fighting to develop the state. In the last year, our budget expenditure was Rs 1.06 lakh crore. This year, we will try to spend Rs 1.22 lakh crore as budget expenditure.
“Till last year, we were dependent on the Central government for payment of salaries to the employees. But from this year, we are paying salaries to the employees from our own resources. They are receiving salaries on the first day of the month. We are providing DA (dearness allowance) to employees as per pay parity with the Central government. But the states like West Bengal are far from it,” he said.
The chief minister also said Assam will bear the responsibility of ‘aswata lakshmi’ in the next 10 years.
In 2020-21, the per capita growth of the state was 18.26 per cent against the national average of 14.24 per cent.
“There are many talks over the debt burden of the state. But who can take loans- those who can return. The bank will assess whether the borrower can return the loan or not before it sanctions the loan to any person. This house has given us the responsibility to borrow loans on the condition that debt-GDP ratio can’t exceed 32 per cent,” the chief minister said.
“We borrow loans but we are maintaining a debt-GDP ratio at 23 per cent in place of 32 per cent. This year Reserve Bank of India (RBI) told us to borrow Rs 22,000 crore loan. But we told them that Rs 19,000 crore will be sufficient for us. We are performing the best as loan borrowing state of the country. We are the best in repayment also. We are writing a solid economy.
“We are paying our employees on day 1 of the month, paying casual employees on time, and increasing the salaries of home guards to Rs 23,000,” the CM informed.
In regards to Orunodoi scheme, Sarma said Madhya Pradesh government has called the state’s officials to plan another scheme in the state on the lines of Orunodoi.
“In this year’s budget also MP government introduced two new schemes on the lines of Orunodoi. They are also introducing a scheme to provide scooters to successful girl students in Higher Secondary exams. We are still learning from MP. But somewhere some states started learning from Assam also,” he said.
“We will increase the beneficiaries of Orunudoi from 17 lakh to 27 lakh this year. We will cover 35 lakh people in the next phase. Orunodoi is the most powerful weapon to fight against poverty. In this year’s budget also we are trying to bring four benefits to the people to fight against poverty. All people should have a ration card, health insurance, and housing. This will also be reflected in this year’s budget,” Sarma said.
He informed the House that the maternal mortality rate (MMR) was 480 at the time when the national health Mission was launched in the state. It has reduced to 195 this year. When there is child marriage, the MMR and IMR (infant mortality) can’t be eliminated.
The chief minister also claimed that the crime against women has declined in the state since 2016.
Referring to the unemployment situation in the state, the chief minister said that the government has fulfilled its election promise of giving employment to the unemployed youths
“There were 22 lakh unemployed youths in the state which has been reduced to 12,36,292 due to our consistent efforts. We are transparent in recruitment. No candidate has to offer brine for getting government jobs in the last two years,” he said.
“During the election, we promised 1 lakh government jobs and 2 lakh self-employment. I also requested the finance minister to opt for a massive employment scheme in this year’s budget,” he said.
Denying the criticism from the opposition that the government has destroyed the public education system, the chief minister said there is a consistent effort from the state government to improve quality education.
“There is no closure of government schools in the state, and some schools have been amalgamated. Works of 25 new colleges are going on. Works are also going on for eight new universities, 24 medical colleges, and 12 engineering colleges,” he said.
“We are also working on the renovation of all school buildings. We are working on building Anganwadi centre for Rs 25 lakh each. We are going for development within the limited source of revenue,” he further said.
The state government is also targeting procurement of 10 lakh MT paddy from farmers this year. “Initially, we procured 60,000 MT paddy in 2020-21. In 2021-22, we procured 3.50 lakh MT paddy from local farmers,” Sarma said.
“After paddy, we will also procure master seed and millet from local farmers. We are also procuring local gamosas from weavers. The attitude of people changed in Assam. The state is improving its rank in the aspirational category. Assam will be top in the next five years,” Sarma further said.
In regards to institutional birth, the chief minister said institutional birth was 22 per cent in the state in 2005. Now, it has gone up to 84 per cent against the national average of 88 per cent.
The chief minister claimed that the institutional birth in government hospitals is higher than the national average. “It is 74 per cent in Assam against 64 per cent of the national average,” he added.