Bhopal, Mar 04: Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Raghavji announced in the Assembly that even MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) detainees' widows would be provided half pension. The state's 2008-09 budget enshrines a provision for pension and medical facilities to MISA detainees.
“The budget waived tax on several items and reduced it on some others. A Rs 5,200-crore provision was made for farmers' relief. Penalty was waived on peasants' power bills, basic electricity dues halved and other facilities provided. Development-oriented work will make the Bharatiya Janata Party return to power in this state,” he claimed while replying to a general debate on the budget.
Despite its 'limited resources’, the state government made a Rs 619.41-cr provision for drought-affected areas. A sum of Rs 450 cr was spent on Bundelkhand region alone. A Rs 6,000-cr provision was made for irrigation. “The Centre hiked diesel price but the state government reduced 1 per cent tax on it thereby placing an additional burden of Rs 70 crore on the exchequer,” the Minister said. Dismissing the opposition's allegations regarding non-utilisation of central funds, he claimed that 95 per cent of such funds was utilised.