Shimla: Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is set to present his third budget on Monday. He spent the entire Sunday in meetings with officials to finalize the budget. The primary focus is on strengthening the rural economy by expanding the agricultural sector, increasing farmers’ income, and providing relief to dairy producers. Since the central government is also running a mission on natural farming, the state government aims to leverage this initiative to benefit villages.
Himachal Pradesh currently has a debt of around ₹1 lakh crore, putting a strain on the state’s economy. Given these financial challenges, the Chief Minister faces pressure to provide dearness allowance (DA) and pending arrears to employees and pensioners while also offering relief to the general public. Additionally, the budget will be influenced by the need to fulfill electoral promises.
The budget size for the financial year 2024-25 was ₹58,444 crore, and the upcoming 2025-26 budget is expected to be around the same amount. The government will have to work hard to secure funds for developmental projects. In the current financial year ending on March 31, 2025, ₹28 out of every ₹100 was allocated for development projects, ₹25 for salaries, ₹17 for pensions, ₹9 for loan repayments, and ₹11 for interest payments. It will be crucial to see how funds are allocated in the upcoming budget.
One of the major financial burdens on Himachal Pradesh is the rising expenditure on government employees’ salaries and pensions. The budget includes an estimated ₹13,600 crore for salaries, ₹10,800 crore for pensions, ₹6,358 crore for subsidies, and ₹3,400 crore for grants. Despite these expenses, the government aims to present a well-balanced budget.
Day-Long Meetings at Oakover
On Sunday, a series of meetings were held at Oakover, attended by finance and planning department officials. The Chief Minister personally reviewed the plans of each department and made several changes. All eyes are now on Monday when the CM will arrive at the Assembly. The budget speech is scheduled to start at 11 AM and will last for 2-3 hours. After the speech, the Chief Minister will hold a press conference to discuss the key features of the budget.
Visit to Kalibari Temple
After finalizing the budget, CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu took a break and went for a walk on Mall Road with his associates. He visited the Kalibari Temple, where he offered prayers and sought blessings. Later, he strolled along Mall Road with Principal Media Advisor Naresh Chauhan and other officials, meeting several people along the way before returning to Oakover on foot.
