Assam’s first female Finance Minister Ajanta Neog tables Rs 566 crore state budget

Presenting the first budget of the second BJP-led Assam government, Neog announced several welfare schemes for children, women, students, tea tribes in her budget speech.

“Being the first women Finance Minister, I am greatly honoured for being bestowed the August task of presenting the State’s Budget. Before I proceed further, I, on behalf of the people of our state would like to offer our best wishes to our daughter, Lovlina Borgohain who is part of Indian Contingent, and is proceeding to Tokyo to participate in the upcoming Olympics,” Ajanta Neog said in her budget speech.

The budget has proposed several welfare promises include assistance to distressed women borrowers for microfinance loans, employment to 1 lakh youths, relief to those who have lost their family members to COVID-19, smartphones to Class 9 and 10 students of government to address the digital divide and an increase in the assistance amount of Orunodoi scheme, blue revolution etc.

“Due to Covid-19 pandemic, educational institutions were closed during the lockdown period. During this period, online education is being imparted to students through different online initiatives. But due to digital divide, many of the students could not avail the benefit of online education. Therefore, to minimize the learning loss and bridge the digital divide,the Government has taken an innovative step to provide mobile devices to the students of class IX & X which will mitigate learning losses in respect of these under privileged students. This will act as a positive reinforcement for continuity of Education and will also act as a deterrent against dropout rate in schools. This scheme will benefit almost 8 lakhs students of class IX & X,” the Finance Minister said.

Ajanta Neog also proposed to set up five new medical colleges in Golaghat, Dhemaji, Morigaon, Bongaigaon, Tamulpur, setting up 10 Commando battalions by aiming to give rigorous training on the line of SPG, NSG, CRPF, Cobra etc, one state university in Karbi Anglong, new zoos in Dibrugarh and Silchar, provide sanitary napkins to all girl students of Class 6-12, three new polytechnics at Hajo, Majuli and Tingkhongat etc.

The Budget Estimates of 2021-22 show a receipt of Rs. 107317.54 Crore under the Consolidated Fund of the state and out of this, Rs. 88979.40 Crore is on Revenue Account and the remaining Rs.18338.14 Crore is under Capital Account.

Assam Chief Minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that, for the first time in the history of Assam, a woman Finance Minister Ajanta Neog presented the annual budget in the assembly.

“We are extremely happy that a new landmark has been created in the floor of the house. In this budget we have tried to implement all our election promises, whether it is an incentive on waiver of microfinance loan, creation of 1 lakh new jobs in the government sector, continuity and expanding the horizon of Orunodoi scheme, or demolishing the digital devide by providing  smartphone to the Class 9, 10 students of the government schools with a free internet package. This budget has specifically laid focus on the agricultural revolution, whether it is a blue revolution or it is a green revolution,” Himanta Biswa Sarma said.