No new tax as Assam tables Rs 2.9-lakh-crore Budget

Guwahati, Feb 12 (PTI) The Assam government on Monday presented a Rs 2.9 lakh crore budget for the 2024-25 financial year with a deficit of Rs 774.47 crore and proposed no new tax.

Presenting the annual financial statement for the next fiscal, Assam Finance Minister Ajanta Neog also said the government will support the education of 10 lakh girls up to post-graduation level in order to eliminate child marriage from society.

"The Budget Estimates of 2024-25 show a receipt of Rs 1,43,605.56 crore under the Consolidated Fund of the state. After adding the receipt of Rs 1,44,550.08 crore under Public Account and Rs 2,000 crore under Contingency Fund, the aggregate Receipts amount to Rs 2,90,155.65 crore," she added.

As against this, the total expenditure from the Consolidated Fund in 2024-25 is estimated at Rs 1,43,890.62 crore, Neog said.

She said that taking into account the expenditure of Rs 1,42,670.09 crore under the Public Account and Rs 2,000 crore under the Contingency Fund, the aggregate expenditure for the year is estimated at Rs 2,88,560.71 crore.

Talking about the size of the state economy, Neog said the GSDP is estimated to touch Rs 6.43 lakh crore during the next financial year as against Rs 5.7 lakh crore in 2023-24.

"We are not imposing any burden of additional tax on the people of Assam in the current budget," she added.

The finance minister in her Budget speech said that 10 lakh girls will be supported with financial grants as admission incentive to continue their education to higher secondary, graduation and post-graduation studies.

"This is to bolster the government's mission to eliminate child marriages. Apart from punitive and regulatory measures, we need to empower the girl child to decide about when to marry," she added. PTI