Haryana Budget 2022: Khattar Govt presents Rs 1.77-lakh-cr Budget; announces Sushma Swaraj Award, scheme for women

The Haryana government on Tuesday presented a Rs 1.77-lakh-crore Budget for the financial year 2022-23 against the Rs 1.53-lakh-crore Budget in 2021-22.

While presenting the Budget in the state's Assembly, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Tuesday announced the 'Sushma Swaraj Award' for women for their significant contribution or achievements in different walks of life in national and international spheres.

Besides, Khattar, who also holds the finance portfolio, announced the Haryana Matrushakti Udyamita Scheme to provide support to women for becoming entrepreneurs.

He presented his third Budget in the state Assembly here.

Khattar proposed a Budget of Rs 1,77,255.99 crore for the financial year 2022-23, a rise of 15.6 per cent over the Budget size of Rs 1,53,384 crore in 2021-22.

The Budget outlay comprises 34.4 per cent as capital expenditure at Rs 61,057.36 crore and 65.6 per cent as revenue expenditure at Rs 1,16,198.36 crore.

The debt liability is likely to go up to Rs 2,43,779 crore in the financial year 2022-23, from Rs 2,23,768 crore as of March 2022, constituting 24.52 per cent of the gross state domestic product.

Khattar said, "The Sushma Swaraj Award will carry a commendation with an award money of Rs 5 lakh."

"Today is the International Women's Day. Today, we celebrate the social, economic, sports, cultural and political achievements of our Matrushakti.

"The women of Haryana have made considerable achievements in the past few years, especially in the field of sports and politics. Late Sushma Swaraj, a daughter of Haryana, was an inspiration to all women in India," he said in the Assembly.

The chief minister said women from families whose annual income is less than Rs 5 lakh based on 'Parivar Pehchan Patra' (family ID) verified data and who wish to become entrepreneurs in any enterprise, trade or business will be provided access to soft loans by financial institutions.

The loans will be to the extent of Rs 3 lakh, for which an interest subvention of seven per cent will be provided for three years through the Haryana Women Development Corporation, Khattar said.

Further details of this scheme will be notified by the Department of Women and Child Development shortly, he said. "I hope that this scheme will enable women entrepreneurs to explore and move ahead in society."