Chandigarh: Punjab finance minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Monday presented the state budget for the 2022-23 financial year. No new taxes were proposed in the budget. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann described budget as balanced, development-oriented and pro-people, hailing it as a roadmap for a "New Punjab".
Presenting the budget, Cheema said that in the first year, the focus will be to restore the deteriorating fiscal health, deliver on the promises of good governance and concentrate on health, agriculture and education.
Describing the budget as balanced, development-oriented and reflective of pro-people policies of the state government, the chief minister issued a statement saying the budget has been drafted to bring a revolution in the sectors of education, health, agriculture and commerce.
He said the government would soon fulfil all the poll promises the party made to the people. Drastic reforms will be visible soon in the fiscal sector, Mann added.
The chief minister said the budget aims to serve the weakest of the weak and the poorest of the poor sections of society in the right earnest. Mann said the budget would certainly boost the tempo of all-round development of the state, besides empowering women and the weaker sections of the society.
He said the budget allocation for technical education has been enhanced by 48 per cent which will help open new vistas of self-employment for youngsters, and £944.9 million has been kept for strengthening the law and order situation in the state.
