The PMK’s annual shadow budget released on Wednesday expressed concerns that the State was in a dire situation with respect to its finances, and observed that the non-tax revenue could be increased to over ₹ 2 lakh crore to tackle the situation.
Addressing the media after releasing the budget, party president Anbumani Ramadoss said that the revenue and fiscal deficit to be announced by the government in its budget would be higher than the projections made earlier. Criticising the government for keeping the State’s non-tax revenue only around ₹19,000 crore, he said this could be increased manifold with the natural resources and reforming public sector companies to make them profitable.
The PMK’s shadow budget envisaged the non-tax revenue to be ₹2,00,180 crore, with ₹1.15 lakh crore coming from the sale of granite and other such sources, ₹40,000 crore through sale of artificial sand, and ₹25,000 crore from public sector companies.
The PMK’s budget said that the State government’s expenditure could also be reduced by 15% through various measures, which included cutting down on the money spent on expensive hotel accommodations and purchase of new cars for senior officials and Ministers.
According to its budget, the party would observe 2024-25 as a special year for social justice. A caste census would be conducted and reservations will be provided.
Mr. Ramadoss said that provisions for special interventions would be made for Vanniyars and other Most Backward Classes, and the party would release a White Paper on the implementation of reservation policies in the State so far.
Various measures
Measures announced in the budget included total prohibition, generation of six lakh government jobs over the next three years, dole for unemployed youth, increasing the number of districts in Tamil Nadu to 60 for administrative convenience, increasing of old age pension to ₹3,000, and ₹500 subsidy for LPG.
