Chandigarh, March 17
Bus fare in Haryana will go up from April 1. This was announced by the Finance Minister, Mr Birender Singh, while presenting his second Budget in the Vidhan Sabha here today.

The increase in bus fare will be 5 paise per km. However, the actual increase will be more because it will also attract 63 per cent passenger tax. Mr Birender Singh said the bus fares were last revised in August, 2003.

The INLD members, who were vocal in protesting against Mr Anand Singh Dangi(Cong) when he opposed the leave of absence from the House sought by the former Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, did not protest when the bus fare hike was announced.

Though Mr Birender Singh did not propose any other tax or revision of existing levies, the intention of the government to mop up additional resources through plugging loopholes in the laws or the existing systems was clear when he announced that the collector's rate of land in the state would be revised periodically. The collector's rate is the basis on which stamp duty is levied on any land deal. It is one of the major contributors to the state exchequer.

Mr Birender Singh, Finance Minister, Haryana, and Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda at a Press conference after presenting the Budget at Haryana Vidhan Sabha in Chandigarh on Friday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Presenting the Budget having a deficit of Rs 65.47 crore, Mr Birender Singh said it was within manageable limits. He hoped that the share in the Central taxes and other devolutions as well as the state tax revenue would also go up. The next year's deficit is expected to be Rs 11.56 crore, while the current year's deficit is estimated to be Rs 5.76 crore.

Mr Birender Singh said since the surcharge levied on delayed payments by users to departments like Power, Irrigation and Public Health was "excessively punitive and acts as a disincentive for those consumers who want to make the delayed payments," it would be rationalised to improve recoveries.

He said consumers who would pay their dues within one month from the date of the bill would be given discount on the billed amount.

He said the contribution of the primary sector to the GSDP had been 28.2 per cent in 2004-05 whereas secondary and tertiary sectors contributed 27.4 per cent and 44.4 per cent, respectively, as against the ratios of 42.5 per cent of primary, 26.2 per cent of secondary and 31.3 per cent of tertiary sector in 1993-94. The gradual increase in the share of services sector was a healthy sign for the state's economy.

Mr Birender Singh announced an investment of Rs.1568.92 crore, constituting 47.54 per cent of the plan outlay, for social services sector, including social welfare, education, health, water supply etc. He said the second on his priority list was the extension of infrastructure in power, irrigation, roads and transport sectors for which Rs.1250 crore had been earmarked constituting 37.88 per cent of the plan outlay.

For strengthening and maintenance of capital assets of the government, Rs.311.97 crore had been provided for 2006-07 as against Rs.217.39 crore during 2005-06. The devolution to local bodies from the Local Area Development Tax(LADT) would be Rs.257.24 crore to Panchayati Raj Institutes and Rs.197.84 crore to urban local bodies during 2006-07.

Under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission of the Central Government, special assistance of Rs.57.77 crore would be provided to Faridabad town next year for strengthening urban infrastructure. The state Government had requested the Union government to include the entire National Capital Region of Haryana and Panchkula town under this Mission since the problems of these areas were similar.