Maharashtra Budget 2022-2023 highlights: New GST amnesty scheme introduced

This time the budget has a revenue deficit of Rs 24,353 crore

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Friday presented a revenue deficit budget while announcing an amnesty scheme for the Goods and Services Tax (GST) payees.

Tabling the third budget of the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress government in the Legislative Assembly, Pawar, who holds the finance portfolio, said a provision of Rs 1,50,000 crore has been made for the annual plan.

As per the budget estimates, revenue receipts would be to the tune of Rs 4,03,427 crore, and revenue expenditure at Rs 4,27,780 crore.

There would be thus a revenue deficit of Rs 24,353 crore, Pawar said.

The tax revenues as per the revised estimate for year 2021-22 would be Rs 2,75,498 crore. This includes revised estimate of Rs 1,55,307 crore on account of GST, VAT, Central Sales Tax, Professional Tax and other important taxes.

There would be an amnesty scheme for GST arrears, to be called the'Maharashtra Settlement of Arrears of Tax, Interest, Penalty or Late Fee Scheme, 2022', the finance minister said.

The duration of the scheme will be from April 1, 2022, to September 30, 2022 and it is estimated that medium-level dealers will be benefited in almost 2.2 lakh cases due to the scheme.

Under this amnesty scheme, on payment of lumpsum amount of 20 percent, waiver will be granted for remaining 80 percent of arrears.

Following are the highlights of the state budget:

1) Agriculture and allied services:

• An incentive grant of Rs 50,000 will be given to 20 lakh farmers who repay their loans regularly. It is expected to cost Rs 10,000 crore on the state exchequer
• Investment of Rs 950 crore for computerization of 20,761 Primary Agricultural Credit Co-operative Societies (PACS)
• Electrification of 60,000 agricultural pumps to be taken up in 2022-23
• Three mobile IVF laboratories, one each for Vidarbha, Marathwada and the Rest of Maharashtra for increasing productivity of cows and buffaloes of native breed.

2) Health:

• Level-1 Trauma Care Units of 50 beds each to be set up at Nanded, Amravati, Jalna, Bhandara, Ahmednagar and Satara
• 100-bed women’s hospitals to be set up at Hingoli, Yavatmal, Buldhana, Sangli, Satara, Kolhapur, Sindhudurg, Wardha, Bhandara, Jalgaon, Ahmednagar, Dhule, Solapur, Ratnagiri, Aurangabad and Raigad
• Mobile cancer diagnostic vans to be provided
• Modern ‘Phaco’ treatment method to be introduced for cataract surgery at Government Hospital.
• Innovation Hub to be set up at a cost of Rs 500 crore for the creation of employable manpower.

3) Human Resources:

• Mobile services to 1,20,000 anganwadi workers and supervisors through E- Shakti Yojana
• Increase in child care grant from Rs 1,125 to Rs 2,500
• Amrut Mahotsav Mahila and Bal Bhavan to be set up in every district.
• Urban Child Development Centers for severely malnourished children to be set up in urban areas
• Free sanitary napkin dispensing machines to be set up at Government Hostel for girl students

4) Transport Facilities:

• Provision of Rs 7,500 crore for 10,000 km roads under Mukhyamantri Gram Sadak Yojana Phase-II
• Extension of Mumbai Metro Line No. 3, Colaba-Bandra-Seepz from Cuffe Parade to Navynagar
• Capital financial assistance for 3,000 new environment-friendly buses and for modernization of 103 bus stands to Maharashtra State Transport Corporation
• Provision for works of Shirdi, Ratnagiri, Amravati and Kolhapur Airport, new airport at Gadchiroli under consideration.

5) Industry:

• Under e-vehicle policy, by 2025, the share of electric vehicles in vehicle registration to be 10 percent to share of public transport in big cities to be 25 percent. 5,000 charging facility to be set up
• Rs 6,000 crore to be provided for the construction of 5 lakh houses in rural areas under the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme
• Rs 100 crore to be provided for the improvement of slums outside Mumbai.
• About 1 lakh employment opportunities through 30,000 self-employment projects under Chief Minister Employment Generation Programme
• A new scheme called the Pandita Ramabai Smriti Shatabdi Mahila Udyojak Yojana for 100 per cent interest refund to start self-employment project for widowed women due to Covid-19 to start

6) Memorials and Cultural Activities

• Rs 100 crore for the proposed Bharat Ratna Lata Dinanath Mangeshkar International Music College and Museum
•  Rs 100 crore to be provided for the development of Raigad fort and its surroundings, Rs 14 crore for six forts - Rajgad, Torna, Shivneri, Sudhagad, Vijaydurg, and Sindhudurg, Rs 7 crore for preservation and conservation of Sewri and St. George forts in Mumbai
• Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj gallantry award scheme to be launched.

7) Tourism:

• Establishment of district-wise ‘Mahavarsa Society’ for preservation, conservation, and repair of archaeological monuments
• African safari tio start at Balasaheb Thackeray Gorewada International Zoo, Nagpur
• Water tourism projects proposed at Koyna, Jayakwadi and Gosikhurd
• The tax levied by the Maharashtra Maritime Board on passengers as well as pets, vehicles, goods etc. travelling by ferries and Ro-Ro boats operating on newly launched waterways from January 1, 2022 under the jurisdiction of the Maharashtra Maritime Board, is being waived for three years

8) Corporations:

• Rs 250 crore each allotted for BARTI, SARATHI, MAHAJYOTI for their schemes
• Establishment of a new dedicated backward class commission to ensure representation of other backward classes in local bodies.

(WITH PTI INPUTS)

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