Key depts seek hike in outlay

FY 2017-18 Budget size to go up by 15-20 per cent

Proposals have been finalised and would be forwarded to the Finance Department by January 17

• Govt to unveil more new schemes soon
• Health dept gearing up to meet the tasks set by the Chief Minister

Hyderabad: The State budget outlay for 2017-18 financial year is likely to go up by 15 to 20 per cent, considering that key departments have sought enhanced allocations in view of the increases in non–plan expenditure and the government proposes to introduce several new schemes.

While the Agriculture Department has demanded 40 per cent more allocation than that it got last year, the Health Department has pegged its requirement at 30 per cent more than the allocation made last year. Likewise, the Irrigation Department, Roads & Buildings and the Panchayat Raj and Rural Development departments want 25 to 30 per cent additional funds in the new financial year.

The Agriculture Department has prepared draft proposals involving about Rs 8,500-crore outlay, as against Rs 6,500 crore allocated during FY 2016-17. Officials said that the outgo towards the newly recruited agriculture extension officers and the establishment of new offices in the new districts had jacked up the non– plan expenditure this year.

The new schemes benefiting fishermen communities, promotion of horticulture, sheep rearing and dairy development, announced recently by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, would need higher allocations. It is estimated that nearly Rs 1,000 crore is required additionally to implement the new schemes.

The Irrigation Department proposed to increase budget estimates to Rs 31,000 crore, as against the Rs 25,000 crore earmarked last year. The department is planning to complete all ongoing irrigation projects in 2017-18 without any delay. Works at SRSP Stage- 2, Sripadasagar – Yellampalli, Kaleshwaram lift project, Indiramma Sagar, Kalwakurthi, Neettempadu, Bheema and Koilsagar would be put on the fast track. The completion of medium irrigation projects --- Kinnerasani, Palem, Modikuntavagu, Gollavagu, Ralivagu, Komarambheem project and Gaddenna- Suddavagu projects as well as modernisation of projects – Nizam Sagar and Nagarjuna Sagar -- would also be included in the new budget.

Officials said that the Medical and Health Department was preparing an action plan to complete all the tasks set by KCR, including construction of new Osmania Hospital, four more super specialty hospitals in Hyderabad, modernisation of all secondary hospitals in the districts and establishment of the Kaloji Narayana Rao Health University in Warangal.

For the year 2015-16, the government had earmarked Rs 5,966 crore. The department has requested allocation of Rs 7,500 crore. The Panchayat Raj and Rural Development Department is seeking allocation of Rs 12,000 crore in 2017-18, as against Rs 10,700 crore allocated last year, to develop road network, strengthen local bodies, and implement e-governance at all levels.

All the proposals of the key departments have been finalised and would be forwarded to the Finance Department by January 17 for its consideration. As per the procedure, the Finance Department would finalise the budget proposals by conducting a meeting with the minister concerned and the department heads, before getting final nod from the government.