Madhya Pradesh's Major Financial Allocation Set for Winter Session
The Madhya Pradesh government is preparing to present a substantial second supplementary budget of approximately ₹14,000 crore on December 2, making fiscal allocations the centerpiece of the upcoming winter session of the state assembly. This significant financial package comes as departments require additional funding with nine months having passed since the annual budget was introduced.
Key Areas Receiving Financial Boost
A considerable portion of the supplementary budget will be directed toward several crucial state initiatives. The Ladli Behna scheme emerges as a primary beneficiary, now requiring over ₹300 crore more per month following the government's decision to increase monthly payouts from ₹1,250 to ₹1,500 per beneficiary.
This enhancement has elevated the scheme's monthly financial requirement from over ₹1,540 crore to approximately ₹1,850 crore. Additional funds will support the state's share in centrally funded programs like the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, continue various subsidy schemes, and fund the Bhavantar Bhugtan scheme alongside other essential state expenditures.
Budgeting Approach and Previous Allocation
The current financial year witnessed a departure from conventional budgeting practices. The first supplementary budget presented on July 29 amounted to only ₹2,356.80 crore, significantly lower than previous years' supplementary budgets that typically ranged between ₹15,000 crore and ₹20,000 crore.
Officials attribute this substantial reduction to the government's adoption of zero-based budgeting - a rigorous financial technique requiring all expenses to be justified anew for each period rather than building upon previous budgets.
Winter Session Schedule and Legislative Agenda
The state assembly will convene for four sittings between December 1 and December 5, with December 3 designated as a holiday. Beyond the supplementary budget, the cabinet has approved presenting legislation concerning the direct election system for nagar palika and nagar parishad chairpersons by voters.
Another significant proposal likely to surface during the session involves increasing MLA salaries from the current ₹1.10 lakh per month to ₹1.70 lakh per month, along with corresponding pension hikes for former legislators.
Potential Points of Contention
The winter session may witness heated debates as the opposition Congress party has already expressed dissatisfaction with the session's brief duration of only four sittings. Opposition members plan to raise several pressing issues including:
- The Chhindwara cough syrup tragedy that claimed at least 24 children's lives
- The rape of a six-year-old girl in Raisen
- Recent violence at VIT campus
- Deaths of BLOs on SIR duty
This supplementary budget represents the state government's strategic financial response to evolving requirements as the fiscal year progresses, balancing welfare commitments with administrative necessities while navigating political dynamics in the assembly.
