Bhullar Praises 3154 Cr Budget for Rural Amenities, Employment

Chandigarh, March 5: Punjab Rural Development & Panchayats and Transport Minister  Laljit Singh Bhullar today said that the budget for the financial year 2024-25, presented by Finance Minister. Harpal Singh Cheema, will significantly benefit the rural areas.The budget allocates Rs. 3154 crore, aiming to fulfil Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Maan’s commitment of providing all-round development for the rural population through the provisioning of basic amenities and creation of rural employment and livelihood.

The Cabinet Minister expressed gratitude to Chief Minister  Bhagwant Singh Mann for allocating the budget for various rural development schemes. He said that the budget proposals of Rs.655 crore for providing employment under MGNREGS, Rs.20 crore for the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, Rs.120 crore for the National Rural Livelihood Mission and Rs.20 crore for the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, will ensure economic progress for rural communities.

Laljit Singh Bhullar also expressed gratitude to the Chief Minister for allocating Rs. 550 crore for the transport sector and Rs. 450 crore for continuing the free travel facility for women.

He announced that the ‘Mukh Mantri Tirath Yatra Scheme’ will continue in the next year with a proposed budget of Rs. 25 crore for FY 2024-25. Similarly, a budgetary outlay of Rs. 10 crore has been proposed to provide incentives under the Electric Vehicle Policy. Furthermore, he mentioned that the facility of vehicle scrapping has already commenced in Ludhiana and Morinda, and an exemption of up to 25% in Motor Vehicle Tax is being provided to new non-transport vehicles.

He said that around 11 crore women of the State have availed free bus travel facility during the current year for which Rs.450 crore has been provided by the government and an allocation of Rs.450 crore has been provided in FY 2024-25 for continuing this service.