{"id":171192,"date":"2025-03-19T13:23:28","date_gmt":"2025-03-19T07:53:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/?p=171192"},"modified":"2025-03-19T13:23:30","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T07:53:30","slug":"himachal-pradesh-budget-2025-26-detailed-analysis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/himachal-pradesh-budget-2025-26-detailed-analysis\/","title":{"rendered":"Himachal Pradesh Budget 2025-26: Detailed Analysis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Himachal Pradesh&#8217;s Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, recently unveiled the annual budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, which totals a whopping Rs 58,514 crore. This budget puts a strong focus on boosting tourism, enhancing rural development, and promoting green energy. It also tackles some financial hurdles, including a cut in the Revenue Deficit Grant and the end of GST compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Financial Challenges and Debt Liability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While unveiling his third budget, CM Sukhu shed light on the tough financial challenges the state is grappling with. The Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG) has seen a drastic cut, plummeting from Rs 10,949 crore in 2021-22 down to just Rs 3,257 crore by 2025-26. To make matters worse, Himachal Pradesh has already faced a staggering loss of Rs 9,478 crore up until 2023-24, all thanks to the central government halting GST compensation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The state&#8217;s debt has now reached a staggering Rs 1,04,729 crore, with Rs 29,046 crore borrowed during the current government&#8217;s term. Alarmingly, 70% of this debt has been used to pay off earlier loans and interest, leaving only Rs 8,093 crore for new development projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Boosting Tourism: Religious and Eco-Tourism Focus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Tourism is getting a significant boost in the budget this year. The government is focusing on promoting both religious tourism and eco-tourism, while also shining a light on some hidden gem destinations. Plus, there are plans to transform tea estates into eco-tourism hubs to draw in more visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Eco-Tourism Expansion:<\/strong>\u00a0Seven eco-tourism sites were allocated in 2024, and\u00a0<strong>78 new eco-tourism sites<\/strong>\u00a0will be allocated in the next phase.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Revenue Generation:<\/strong>\u00a0The government anticipates revenue of\u00a0<strong>Rs 200 crore over the next five years<\/strong>\u00a0through eco-tourism initiatives.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Green Energy and Environmental Conservation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>CM Sukhu emphasized that the forest cover in Himachal Pradesh serves as the \u201clungs of North India,\u201d playing a crucial role in providing essential ecological services like soil conservation, water purification, clean air, and climate stability. These services are estimated to be worth around Rs 90,000 crore each year. The government is currently making its case to the 16th Finance Commission, seeking financial backing for its environmental efforts. On top of that, there are plans to introduce 500 electric buses in 2025-26 to help cut down on carbon emissions. The Shimla Ropeway Project is also set to kick off in the next fiscal year, aimed at promoting sustainable urban transport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Support for Farmers and Agriculture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The government has introduced multiple schemes to benefit farmers and agriculturalists:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Increase in Milk MSP:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Cow milk:<\/strong>\u00a0From\u00a0<strong>Rs 45 to Rs 51 per litre<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Buffalo milk:<\/strong>\u00a0From\u00a0<strong>Rs 55 to Rs 61 per litre<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Natural Farming:<\/strong>\u00a0A target of bringing\u00a0<strong>one lakh farmers<\/strong>\u00a0under\u00a0<strong>natural farming<\/strong>\u00a0has been set for 2025-26. So far,\u00a0<strong>1.58 lakh farmers<\/strong>\u00a0have adopted this practice.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>MSP for Raw Turmeric:<\/strong>\u00a0Farmers growing\u00a0<strong>kachi haldi (raw turmeric)<\/strong>\u00a0naturally will receive an\u00a0<strong>MSP of Rs 90 per kg<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Spice Park in Hamirpur:<\/strong>\u00a0The state will set up a\u00a0<strong>Spice Park<\/strong>\u00a0in Hamirpur to boost spice farming and processing.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Employment and Wage Hike<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The budget also brings good news for workers engaged in the&nbsp;<strong>Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Daily wage increased by Rs 20<\/strong>, from\u00a0<strong>Rs 300 to Rs 320 per day<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Several\u00a0<strong>new schemes for employment generation<\/strong>\u00a0will be introduced, focusing on\u00a0<strong>rural development and infrastructure.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Social Welfare Initiatives<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>CM Sukhu announced several schemes benefiting&nbsp;<strong>pensioners, women, disabled individuals, and children<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Pension Arrears for Senior Citizens:<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Pensioners aged\u00a0<strong>70-75 years<\/strong>\u00a0will receive their\u00a0<strong>arrears in May 2025<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The previous\u00a0<strong>BJP government left liabilities of Rs 10,000 crore<\/strong>\u00a0related to government employee arrears.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>New Directorates for Education:<\/strong>\u00a0Separate\u00a0<strong>Directorates for Schools and Colleges<\/strong>\u00a0will be established to streamline\u00a0<strong>educational governance and policy-making<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Combating Drug Abuse and Organized Crime<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To address the rising concern of&nbsp;<strong>drug abuse<\/strong>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<strong>organized crime<\/strong>&nbsp;in the state, the government has announced the following measures:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Special Task Force (STF)<\/strong>\u00a0to be formed for tackling drug-related issues.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Introduction of the\u00a0<strong>Himachal Pradesh Prevention of Continuing Unlawful Activity and Control of Organized Crime Act, 2025<\/strong>, aimed at preventing\u00a0<strong>illegal activities and organized crime.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Himachal Pradesh&#8217;s Chief Minister, Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, recently unveiled the annual budget for the fiscal year 2025-26, which totals a whopping Rs 58,514 crore. This budget puts a strong focus on boosting tourism, enhancing rural development, and promoting green energy. It also tackles some financial hurdles, including a cut in the Revenue Deficit Grant and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":419,"featured_media":171193,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[5364],"tags":[253],"class_list":["post-171192","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-current-affairs-march-2025","tag-himachal-pradesh-current-affairs"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171192","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/419"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=171192"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":171194,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/171192\/revisions\/171194"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/171193"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=171192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=171192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gkseries.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=171192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}