Punjab Budget 2023: Allocation of Rs 17,072 crore for school, higher education; outlay rises by 12%

NEW DELHI: Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema presented a Rs 1.96 lakh crore state budget for 2023-24 in the assembly here on Friday which focussed primarily on education, health, and agriculture sectors. The finance minister proposed an outlay of Rs 17,072 crore for school and higher education, 12% higher than previous year.

Cheema also announced various new schemes including a young entrepreneur scheme and two coaching initiatives for students in the first full budget of the AAP government.

Total budget size has been increased by 26 percent to Rs 1,96,462 crore for 2023-24 over the previous year, the state finance minister said. It was the first full budget of the AAP government.

In the education sector, he said that 117 schools have been identified for upgrading them as "Schools of Eminence". Of these schools, work for upgradation on pilot basis has already started at four schools in Amritsar district.

Under the education sector, Punjab Young Entrepreneur Programme has been launched to encourage Class 11 students to propose their original business ideas. They would be supported by the government by providing seed money of Rs 2,000 per student. An allocation of Rs 30 crore is proposed for this purpose.

The finance minister proposed an allocation of Rs 100 crore for the installation of a rooftop solar panel system in government schools.

In addition, two new schemes – Professional Coaching for Employment and Soft Skill and Communication Training – under which coaching on professional lines will be provided to students by establishing dedicated employability coaching centres in government colleges.

After coming to power in March 2022, the AAP government first passed a vote-on account on March 22 and then it presented its budget in June for the remaining part of the year.

Cheema said that a free power subsidy of Rs 9,331 crore for the farm sector has been earmarked for 2023-24. He said 26,797 jobs have been given so far by the Bhagwant Mann government. On the health sector, he said 10.50 lakh people have been treated in 'Aam Aadmi Clinics' in the state so far. Against the initial target of establishing 117 "Aam Aadmi Clinics", 504 have already been set up while another 142 clinics are expected to be operational in the next few days, he said.

(With inputs from PTI)