Shimla, March 11(PTI) Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented the final installment of Supplementary Demands for Grants for the year 2024-25 on Tuesday, amounting to Rs 17,053.78 crore.

The supplementary demands included an allocation of Rs 15,776.19 crore under State Schemes and Rs 1,277.59 crore under Centrally Sponsored Schemes.

The major expenditures proposed in the demands include Rs 10,137.07 crore for the repayment of Ways and Means Advances/Overdraft, Rs 1,033.63 crore for power subsidy, restoration of power transformers damaged during the monsoon, and loans to power sector utilities like HP Power Transmission Corporation, HP Power Corporation, HP State Electricity Board, and HP State Load Dispatch Centre.

An allocation of Rs 814.94 crore has been made for subsidies to the Himachal Road Transport Corporation in lieu of fare concessions to various categories of passengers and the purchase of e-buses. Additionally, Rs 763.26 crore has been allocated for pensions and other retirement benefits, Rs 455.91 crore for the construction of medical colleges, purchase of machinery, and the HIMCARE Yojana.

An amount of Rs 329.44 crore has been allocated for water supply and sanitation schemes, Rs 303.67 crore for relief in response to natural calamities, Rs 173.25 crore for tourism development, and Rs 150.19 crore for the restoration/reconstruction of school buildings damaged during the monsoon, construction of new school and college buildings, indoor auditoriums, and payment of pending liabilities of Pharmacy College Seraj.

Further, Rs 142.83 crore has been provided for grants to rural local bodies under the 15th Finance Commission, Rs 135.88 crore for the construction of roads/bridges and compensation, Rs 130.16 crore for the construction of hostels for working women, honorariums to Anganwadi workers/mini Anganwadi workers/helpers, Mukhya Mantri Sukh Aashray Yojana, Mukhya Mantri Sukh Shiksha Yojana, and Indira Gandhi Mahila Samman Nidhi Yojana. An amount of Rs 127.77 crore has been allocated for the construction of a State Guest House at Dwaraka, New Delhi, a girls’ hostel at National Law University, construction and maintenance of office buildings, and Rs 124.50 crore for railway projects.

In addition, Rs 120.72 crore has been set aside for the payment of wages under MNREGA, Rs 88.97 crore for the Bulk Drug Park, Medical Device Park, and HIMSWAN connectivity, Rs 81.52 crore for grants to urban local bodies, restoration/reconstruction works, Rs 79.62 crore for the JICA project, Rs 73.54 crore to clear the pending liabilities of the market intervention scheme (MIS), and Rs 73.54 crore for the construction and maintenance of residential buildings and the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.

Under the Centrally Sponsored Schemes, the supplementary demands included Rs 296.56 crore for PM Gramin Sadak Yojana, Rs 207.71 crore for the National Disaster Response Fund, Rs 207.23 crore for compensation to Renukaji Dam oustees, and Rs 90.28 crore for PM Awas Yojana (Gramin).

It also includes Rs 53.39 crore for MNREGA, Rs 51.74 crore for AMRUT, Rs 43.25 crore for PM Schools for Rising India, Rs 42.71 crore for subsidy on wheat and rice to below-poverty-line (BPL) families, Rs 38.62 crore for Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan, Rs 35.23 crore for the Special Nutrition Programme, Rs 22.29 crore for the Swachh Bharat Mission, and Rs 18.88 crore for PM Matsya Sampada Yojana. PTI BPL ARD ARD

Supplementary budget reallocates funds to debt repayment, power sector support, disaster relief, and social infrastructure needs. Supplementary Demands for Grants for 2024-25 allocate additional funds prioritising repayment of Ways and Means Advances/Overdraft, power sector support including subsidies and loans to utilities, and transport subsidies with e-bus purchases. The package further funds pensions, healthcare infrastructure, water and sanitation, restoration of monsoon-damaged school buildings, grants to rural and urban local bodies, and infrastructure projects. Centrally sponsored allocations augment rural roads, disaster response, housing, MNREGA wages, urban development, health and nutrition, and compensation to dam oustees, while addressing pending liabilities and reconstruction needs.