Diary Times News Service
Shimla, August 10: Sukhu government of the state, which is facing financial crisis, is trying to fill its treasury. For this, tough decisions are being taken and ways of raising revenue have been found by changing the schemes run during the tenure of the previous BJP government. The state government has taken nine major decisions to fill the treasury. By implementing these at the ground level, the government can raise revenue of about two thousand crores in this financial year.
Sukhu government has made changes in the 125 unit free electricity scheme and has excluded the rich people from its scope. Apart from this, giving a shock to the hotel businessmen, the subsidy given on commercial meters has also been abolished. With these steps, the electricity board will earn about 900 crores rupees annually and the government will not have to give huge grants to the board. Two days ago, Sukhu cabinet has also stopped the BJP government’s free water scheme in villages. Now, in the villages, people other than the poor, single women, widows and disabled will not get free drinking water facility.
Water bills will be issued on the basis of meter readings at Rs 100 per month for domestic drinking water connection and Rs 100 per month for commercial drinking water connection. This will help the government to pay around Rs 800 crore to the electricity board through the Jal Shakti Department. Sukhu Cabinet has decided to give compensation to police personnel for travelling in HRTC buses. In this way, Rs 110 will not be deducted from the salary of the police personnel every month and they will not have to loosen their pockets while travelling in HRTC buses. This decision is also being seen as a profit-making one.
The state government has also amended the mining rules to raise revenue. Apart from this, with the implementation of the new excise policy, the government will earn Rs 600 crore from the auction of liquor contracts every year. The government is also saving a large amount of its revenue by closing 99 schools with zero registration and 460 schools with two to five students in the education department. Sukhu Cabinet’s decision to pay 40% of salary to employees on study leave will also save crores of rupees.
The government has come up with a new policy to crack down on illegal mining, which is likely to give additional revenue to the government. Limiting the scope of the Himcare scheme being run by the previous government will also save government funds. The government has excluded private hospitals from the Himcare scheme. This will prevent the government from paying huge amounts to private hospitals. The government’s argument is that a simple operation which costs Rs 25,000 in government hospitals, costs up to Rs 1 lakh in some private hospitals. The government had to bear the cost of this in the Himcare scheme.
Let us tell you that a large part of the state government’s budget is being spent on paying off debt liabilities and salaries and pensions of employees. More than 70% of the budget is being spent on these. Due to this, it is natural for the government to have less budget for development works. The government has to take loans to deal with the poor financial condition of the state. The debt burden on the state has reached Rs 88 thousand crores.
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