Chhattisgarh likely to have a budget of Rs 75,000 crore this year

The Budget Session of Chhattisgarh Assembly will commence on March 1 and continue till March 31 with the House set to have 19 sittings during this period.

The Chhattisgarh government has reportedly prepared a budget of Rs 75,000 crore. In a meeting of state cabinet ministers, held under Chief Minister Dr Raman Signal, a green signal has been given to all the proposals related to the budget.

The budget for the financial year 2016-17 is almost Rs 10,000 crore more than that of 2015 - which saw a budget of Rs 65,000 crore.

According to sources, this year's budget for Chattisgarh will largely focus on agriculture and infrastructure. According to reports, factories in the state will be exempt from water tax - specifically the water circulated through six barrages - Shivnarayan, Mirauni, Saradeh, Kalma, Samoda and Chichpol in Janjgir-Champa, Raigadh and Raipur district will be exempted from tax.

Senior officials said that Chief Minister Raman Singh, who holds the finance portfolio, may present the new budget in the first week of the session, which is expected to be a stormy affair in the wake of the Antagarh Assembly bypoll audio tape row.

Opposition Congress may use the Antagarh Assembly bypoll audio tape row and the alleged farmer suicides in the state to try and corner the state government in the Budget session.

- With PTI inputs