Jaipur, Feb 27 (IANS) Rajasthan Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Diya Kumari, while responding to the budget debate on Thursday, said that the budget was welcomed by every section.
“We are moving forward following the principle of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. Every section has welcomed the budget. We are moving forward with the concept of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas. Some opposition colleagues didn’t even get a chance to participate, and those who did had little to criticise,” she said commenting on the opposition who had boycotted the house protesting the ‘Dadi’ remark by state minister Avinash Gehlot.
Reaffirming that the state is progressing under the mantra of Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, she contrasted this with the previous Congress regime, noting that while social security pensions were delayed by as much as three months under their rule, however, her government has ensured timely payments up to January, she said.
Diya Kumari highlighted the government’s focus on job creation, announcing that 59,000 jobs have already been provided, with recruitment underway for an additional 1,73,000 positions.
She dismissed claims of fiscal mismanagement as false, asserting that her government is committed to supporting youth, women, and farmers. Citing the ongoing construction of the Ramjal Setu Yojana, she noted that 58 percent of the promises made in the first year have already been fulfilled, and vowed to meet all resolutions.
She also unveiled several key initiatives, including commissioning local paintings at major tourist sites with an investment of Rs 35 crore, procuring 55 quick response vehicles for disaster relief, deploying new fire-fighting vehicles in urban areas like Bikaner and Banswara, with a budget of Rs 1050 crore, establishing an industrial park in Shahpura and a wood park in Lalsot, constructing separate toilets for the disabled, repairing 5,000 Anganwadi centers in the upcoming year, transferring 3,236 small dams from the Panchayat to the Water Resources Department to enhance irrigation facilities with over Rs 240 crore in allocated funds and undertaking road repair and upgradation projects at a cost of Rs 1870 crore.
Addressing fiscal concerns, Diya Kumari emphasised that, unlike the previous administration, her government does not take loans merely to garner electoral favor.
“We use 59 per cent of the loans to create assets, and our debt remains within the Gross State Product limits—well below what was seen under Congress rule,” she explained.
She pointed to an increase in per capita income since her government took charge, countering the opposition’s conflicting data.
She also noted that the fiscal deficit has been maintained within the limits prescribed by the FRBM Act, with the state allocating over 8 per cent of its 2025-26 budget to the medical sector—a higher proportion than in other states.
Additionally, the government plans to invest more than Rs 38,000 crore in education. On the energy front, she announced that the installed electricity capacity has reached 26,300 MW, with further expansion planned.
She criticised the previous focus on electricity purchases rather than generation, and introduced a scheme to provide 150 free electricity units to domestic consumers upon installing solar panels—a move aimed at reducing long-term subsidy burdens.
She also made several announcements aimed at modernising public services and infrastructure. These include expanding healthcare with skin transplants under the Maa Yojana, incorporating robotic surgery and new medical packages, and organising a Youth Festival along with the Rajasthan DIGI Fest next year.
New faculties will be introduced in state schools and colleges, a multi-stadium is slated for construction in Ajmer, and the Atal Innovation Award will be initiated from next year.
–IANS
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