JAIPUR: The Rajasthan budget, which was presented in the House on Wednesday, has also introduced some new concepts such as gender auditing, outcome budgeting, protection of all stakeholders and establishment of knowledge centres to boost economy and bring about balance in development.

The Chief Minister, Vasundhara Raje, while presenting the budget, pointed out that while the VAT regime would ensure rapid industrial development and promote export of indigenous goods, the innovative steps in the Plan investments would help spread the gains of economic development to all sections of society. Ms. Raje said that the results of gender auditing, launched in the previous budget, had led to the State occupying the first rank in budgetary expenditure on women's health and third in rendering assistance to needy women. The outcome budgeting would facilitate the review of actual results of various schemes in addition to the monitoring of financial provisions. Dedicating the budget to "Stree Shakti'' (women's power) to commemorate the International Women's Day, Ms. Raje said it was "not only the women who needed development, but development also needed women''. Over 55,000 self-help groups of women had received loans worth Rs. 100 crores and 20,000 more such groups will be constituted this year.

The Chief Minister pointed out that a new policy encouraging private investments in the medical and health sector would be implemented in 2006-07, while 10 knowledge centres would be established in the Government colleges in association with private parties.

For the agriculture sector, the budget has proposed to expand distribution of certified seeds to farmers and establish soil testing laboratories in all districts. The breeding policy will be amended to benefit the animal husbandry sector. Ms. Raje said the rural development and self-employment training centres to be established at five locations, in addition to similar agencies being opened by banks, would equip the rural youth to take up vocations of their interest. The State Government will appoint a Heritage Protection and Promotion Board at a cost of Rs. 1 crore to conserve historical monuments.

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