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At present growth rate, Haryana to wipe out poverty in six years: Finance Minister

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Finance Minister Birender Singh asserted in the Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday that if the rate of economic growth continues at the present level of 11.2 per cent and the 20 per cent increase in revenue receipts is also maintained, Haryana would be able to completely wipe out poverty in the next six to seven years.

Replying to the debate on the State Budget presented by him on March 18, Mr. Birender Singh said Haryana’s economic growth rate was higher than the neighbouring Punjab’s.

The revenue receipts of the State amounted to Rs. 11,149 crore when the present government took office and now within a span of three years these had reached Rs. 21,695 crore.

Claiming better financial management, he said the State had generated Rs. 10,000 crore through VAT whereas by decreasing the Central Sales Tax rates from four per cent to three per cent it had incurred a loss of Rs. 1,500 crore which was in public interest. He said it was wrong to say that the Central loan waiver scheme would result in a collapse of the banking system. It was necessary to raise the status of the farmers and ensure economic growth of the nation. It was a historic fact that the present Haryana Government had fixed the minimum rate of Rs. 10.40 lakh per acre for land acquisition, he added.

Mr. Birender Singh urged the agricultural universities and agricultural institutes to carry out research and development so as to have better crops.

He assured that the Haryana Finance Department would provide all financial assistance on priority for carrying out research and development work in this field. He also assured the House that after receiving the Sixth Pay Commission report the Haryana Government would ensure that its employees got all the benefits.

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