Jaipur, Feb 17 (IANS) Responding to the budget debate in the Rajasthan Assembly, Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister Diya Kumari made several key announcements, including major relief measures for government employees and significant infrastructure and social sector initiatives.​

Diya Kumari announced that government employees who leave their posts after being selected for another central or state government job during the two-year training period will no longer have their salary and allowances recovered. Previously, employees were required to repay the salary drawn during the training period if they resigned. ​

She also announced that all state government employees will now receive insurance coverage until their retirement date, addressing a gap where policies currently mature before retirement.​

Taking a dig at the Congress party, Diya Kumari said the previous government had “emptied the treasury” and left behind fiscal challenges. She stated that while the fiscal deficit under the Congress government was 4.4 per cent of GSDP, the current government has projected a deficit of 3.87 per cent for 2025–26, with a further reduction to 3.69 per cent by 2026–27. ​

The Deputy Chief Minister outlined several development initiatives, including Rs 690 crore for new road construction, Rs 150 crore for replacing old drinking water pipelines, and Rs 220 crore for drinking water projects. ​

She also announced construction of a new Grid Sub Station (GSS), development of a new industrial area near Kota’s Greenfield Airport, MSME applications to be processed at District Industries Centers, new courses at Triple IT Kota, to be developed into an AI hub with central support and introduction of robotic surgery facilities at Medical College Kota and Rs 25 crore for hospital development. ​

Other anouncements include eye examinations and spectacles for 75,000 schoolchildren, self-defense training and counseling for 1 lakh women, expansion of seats in Ambedkar and OBC hostels, Rs 25 crore for safari facilities at Ramgarh Vishdhari Sanctuary, opening of new veterinary hospitals and sub-centers, Mini secretariat in Lunkaransar (Bikaner) and a new police station in Luni Diya Kumari said, “Our government is one that takes everyone along. We welcome factual criticism from the opposition.”​

She accused the opposition of baseless criticism and said the Leader of the Opposition had little substantive critique of the budget. ​

Responding to criticism over education and agriculture spending, Diya Kumari said the agriculture budget is 34 per cent higher than during the Congress government, urging the opposition to present accurate figures.

​Farmers will be allotted up to a 20-foot strip of government land for farm access roads at twice the DLC rate, and employees will receive extended insurance coverage until their retirement date.

–IANS

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