ITANAGAR, July 24: Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Wednesday presented a Rs 993.08 crore deficit budget for 2024-25, focusing on three pillars - healthy human resource, robust infrastructure and vibrant economy - centered around the enabling ecosystem of good governance and a secure environment.

Presenting the first budget of the Pema-3 government, Mein, who also holds the Finance, Planning and Investment portfolios, in his address informed that the budget estimate for 2024-25 is pegged at Rs 35,840.79 crore, which is a 20.85 per cent increase over the budget estimate of 2023-24.

The deputy chief minister added that the share of central taxes for 2024-25 budget has been estimated at Rs 21,431.59 crore, an increase of 19.42 per cent over the budget estimate of 2023-24.

The state own resources for budget estimate 2024-25 has been estimated at Rs 4,016.71 crore, an increase of 17.35 per cent over the budget estimate of 2023-24, he added.

“Our vision is people-centric and progressive. Through ‘Modi ki Guarantee,’ we are committed to fulfill the aspirations of every person, especially our youth, women and farmers. Staying on this trajectory, by the time we complete the third term in government, there should be no development gaps in the state. In our current tenure, we shall be guided by the transformative idea of “Viksit Bharat, Viksit Arunachal” as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.

Be it our Aatma Nirbhar schemes or our saturation approach to facilitate all our farmers, we are continuously aiming for ‘productivity and resilience in agiculture’. Our efforts to facilitate our youth, indigenous population, women and the vulnerable groups and enhancement of social security nets are a testament to our resolve for ‘inclusive human resource development and social justice’, Mein said.

Together, these priorities align with our budget pillar of ‘Healthy Human Resource’, he said.

Towards our next pillar of ‘Vibrant Economy’, our focus on industrialization and skill development mirrors the union budget priorities on ‘manufacturing and services’ and ‘employment and skilling’. Further, we are fostering a strong startup ecosystem with this year’s focus on establishing incubation hubs at higher education institutes, the deputy chief minister disclosed.

“With respect to our third budget pillar on ‘Robust Infrastructure’ - coupled with our ‘Smart Urbanization’ strategies - we have managed to capture and reflect the union budget priorities on ‘infrastructure’ and ‘urban development’. In addition, the state's hydropower initiatives can be some of the biggest contributions to the country’s ‘energy security’, Mein said.

The finance minister added that with consistent achievements on governance reforms and prudent financial management, and with further emphasis on youth in this year's budget, the government has taken a strong resolve to bring in the ‘Next Generation Reforms' for the development of the state.

Mein said that to further underscore government’s commitment and gratitude for the significant role the youth are playing in the development of the nation and the state, the government has declared 2024-25 as the ‘Year of Youth’.

“The Year of Youth is an acknowledgement and tribute towards the role and responsibility our youth, our Amrit Peedhi, has in building a Viksit Bharat and a Viksit Arunachal,” he said.

Mein added that an allocation of minimum 100 crore towards various activities for the empowerment and fulfilling aspirations of our youth has been made which include, a holistic and inclusive approach across various sectors focusing on health, education, skill upgradation, tourism, sports etc.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pema Khandu has expressed satisfaction over the Budget 2024-25.

Guided by the vision of Hon PM Shri @narendramodi ji, Arunachal Budget 2024-25 is dedicated to the aspirations of our youth. From scholarships and pilot training support to youth parliaments and leadership programs, this budget is a comprehensive push towards empowering our future leaders, Khandu posted in X.

The initiatives, including the establishment of the Arunachal Pradesh Society for Music and Arts, youth desks, and annual Rozgaar Melas, underscore our commitment to holistic development. It's the time for youth of Arunachal Pradesh to shine!, the chief minister said

“It gives me immense satisfaction to see Arunachal Pradesh Budget for FY 2024-25 placing a strong emphasis on industry-led development, with a key focus on enhancing youth employment and skill upgradation,” Khandu said in another social media post.

A total allocation of ?23 crore has been earmarked specifically for initiatives aimed at equipping the youth with industry-relevant skills and facilitating their employment in various sectors. This substantial investment underscores Team Arunachal's commitment to creating a skilled workforce that can drive industrial growth and innovation, he said.

By aligning educational and training programs with industry needs, the budget seeks to foster a conducive environment for businesses to thrive, ultimately leading to sustainable economic development in Arunachal Pradesh, he added.

“It is a matter of great delight that Arunachal Budget 2024-25 has prioritized Nari Shakti with the launch of 200 Pink Toilets across all districts and the Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0 initiatives. PTI