Jaipur, Feb 19 (PTI) Recruitment for up to 2.75 lakh positions in the government and private sector, water supply projects, and the construction of nine greenfield expressways were the highlights of the Rajasthan Budget 2025-26 presented by state Finance Minister Diya Kumari in the assembly on Wednesday.

While presenting the Rs 5.37-lakh crore Budget, Kumari, who is also the Deputy Chief Minister of the state, announced that 20 lakh new houses will be provided with drinking water connections and Rs 400 crore will be spent for this purpose.

"We are committed to creating a USD 350 billion economy by 2030... We have increased capital expenditure by more than 40 per cent in a short period and have constructed more than 9,600 km of new roads and upgraded more than 13,000 km of roads," Kumari said.

Calling this the state's first "green Budget", Kumari said special focus will be given on climate change adoption, forest and environment, sustainable agriculture, water harvesting, recycling and waste disposal, circular economy, and capacity building.

"Under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, the GDP, indicating the development of the state, is estimated to increase to more than Rs 19,89,000 crore in 2025-26," she said.

Kumari announced recruitment for 1.25 lakh posts in government departments and state undertakings and 1.50 lakh private sector jobs in the coming year.

In the speech, the finance minister said under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government has proved the trust expressed by the public was right by setting new records of development in the state in the first year of its tenure itself.

She said the state government will construct nine greenfield expressways at a cost of Rs 60,000 crore.

For the energy sector, she announced 50,000 new agriculture connections and 5 lakh domestic connections, abolition of banking with other states at high rates, solar plants, and 150 units of free electricity per month to beneficiaries under the CM Free electricity scheme.

An allocation of Rs 10 crore was made for work of non-patchable roads in each assembly constituencies and Rs 15 crore in constituencies under desert region, Rs 50 crore for detailed project report of ring roads in 15 cities, Rs 250 crore for traffic improvement work in Jaipur, Jaipur metro work from Sitapura industrial area to Ambabari and Vidhyadhar Nagar, DPR for Jaipur metro extension to Jagatpura and Vaishali Nagar.

A fund of Rs 150 crore was announced under the CM Thar region development programme, installation of 50,000 street lights in all cities of the state.

She announced global capacity centre policy for investment in the service sector, Rajasthan trade promotion policy for trading sector, development of 10 sites as iconic tourist destinations.

Kumari said Rs 100 crore will be spent to promote night tourism, Rs 100 crore for Tribal Tourist Circuit covering Tripura Sundari temple, Mangarh Dham, Beneshwar Dham and other temples, and Govind Devji Kala Mahotsav to mark 300 years of foundation of Jaipur.

She said "Vaidik Gurukul" and "Vaidik Tourism Centres" will be established in Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Udaipur, and "Yuva Sathi Kendra" in Kota, Jodhpur, Jaipur and Sikar to address the issues of suicides and stress among students.

'MAA' fund of Rs 3,500 crore was announced for free diagnosis and medicines to people, establishment of ultra-advanced burns care units at divisional headquarters, "zero accident zones" on Delhi-Jaipur, Jaipur-Agra, and Jaipur-Kota highways.

She said the monthly social security pension for the elderly, widow/single woman, differently abled people, and small and marginal farmers will be increased to Rs 1,250 from Rs 1,200.

Other Budget announcements included the establishment of a Centre for Cyber Control and war room at Rs 350 crore, and a hike in PM Kisan Samman Nidhi as well as the bonus per quintal on MSP on wheat.

The finance minister said the state government has delivered 58 per cent of its promises made in the election manifesto and has fulfilled 73 per cent of the previous Budget announcements.

In the Budget 2025-26, estimated revenue receipts were pegged at Rs 2.94 lakh crore, estimated revenue expenditure Rs 3.25 lakh crore and estimated revenue deficit Rs 31,009 crore. The estimated fiscal deficit was Rs 84,643 crore, or 4.25 per cent of the gross state domestic product (GSDP).

Addressing a post-Budget press conference, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said the Budget will ensure development of the state.

"We have taken a step forward toward making Rajasthan a developed state by 2047 by focusing on green growth," the CM said.

The leader of opposition, Tikaram Jully, however, said the Budget was "only going to put the burden of debt on the people of Rajasthan".

He said the financial management of the state government has completely failed.

"In the last Budget, it was estimated that there would be revenue receipts of about Rs 2.65 lakh crore, but this target could not be met and only Rs 2.62 lakh crore have been made," he told reporters after the Budget presentation.

"The biggest challenge facing the common man today is inflation. We expected some announcement to reduce inflation but nothing happened," he said.

"Our (former Congress) government had given an inflation relief package of Rs 19,000 crore in the Budget 2023-24, but today the word inflation did not come in the entire speech." Before the beginning of the Budget speech, Rajasthan Speaker Vasudev Devnani said the government will respond to issues raised by the Opposition after the Zero Hour on February 20.

Opposition Congress is demanding the government's response to the allegations of phone-tapping levelled by Cabinet Minister Kirodi Lal Meena.

The Budget session of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly began on January 31, with the address of Governor Haribhau Bagde. PTI AG SDA TRB