Nagpur: Maharashtra Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar on Saturday (March 18) presented the farmer centric, development-oriented Tax Free and Rs 4511 crore deficit Budget for 2017-18. The Minister completed his over 2 hour Budget speech amidst Opposition ruckus and demand of loan waiver for farmers.
The highlights of the Budget:
- No proposal to increase any taxes.
- GST to be implemented from July 1
- GST Taxes to be at the rate of 0, 5, 12, 18, 28.
- Rs 4511 crore deficit.
- Nagpur Airport to be developed as world class
- Rs 710 crore for metro projects in Nagpur, Mumbai, and Pune.
- Rs 100 crore for further development of MIHAN Project.
- Rs 1000 crores will be provided for a subsidy of power tariffs to encourage industrial units in Vidarbha and Marathwada and Rs 60 crores will be provided to increase the productivity of MSMEs.
- Rs 80 crore for tourism development at Pench, Nagzira, Navegaon Tiger Projects.
- Rs 5 crore for natural disaster management training at Chandrapur.
- Rs 43 crore for installation of latest machinery for three-pronged cancer diagnosis
- CT Scan machines to be available in 31 hospitals with provision of Rs 77.50 crore.
- 50 lakh houses to be constructed in urban areas under PM’s Housing for All Scheme
- Rs 1600 crore for development of seven cities as Smart Cities.
- Stress on construction of Green buildings for conservation of water and electricity
- Rs 200 crore for starting a military school in Chandrapur.
- Only one number “Dial 112” for Police, Ambulance, and Fire Brigade.
- Rs 325 crore for police housing
- Rs 38.86 crore for curbing road accidents
- CCTVs to be installed in Amravati and Chandrapur
- Public distribution system to be made cashless.
- Under Swacch Bharat Mission, the State will be made free from open-defecation by March 2018. Rs 545.66 crore has been allotted for the same.
To be cost more:
- Indian Made Foreign Liquor as well as country liquor.
- Online, Paper Lottery to cost more as taxes increased.
To be cheaper:
- Swipe machines as taxes removed
- Milk Testing Kits
- Taxes at smaller airports to be lowered
- Sugarcane purchase tax to be waived
- Zero tax on electric and gas crematoriums.
- Essential goods – Rice, wheat, pulses, turmeric, chilli, other spices till the implementation of GST.