Assam govt presents Rs 566 cr deficit budget with no new tax proposal

Guwahati, July 16: Assam’s first woman Finance Minister Ajanta Neog today presented a Rs 566 crore deficit budget 2021-22 in the state Assembly. The budget significantly has proposed no new tax on public.

It happens to be the first full-flagged budget of the new BJP-led coalition government headed by the Chief Minisyer, Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma. 
Ajanta Neog while reading out the budgetary proposa

"I too, with the aim of continuing this trend, would like to hereby place my budget without levying any extra tax on the public," she said in the first budget session of the 15th Assam Assembly.

During the last fiscal, the Tax Department's collection declined to Rs 14,645 crore from Rs 14,967 crore in the previous financial year due to "economic slowdown" on account of COVID-19 pandemic, Neog said.

Presenting the Budget estimates, the Finance Minister said the aggregate income has been calculated to be Rs 2,89,770.68 crore for 2021-22, while the total expenditure for the year is estimated at Rs 2,89,367.10 crore.

"Thus, estimated transactions during the year will result in an estimated surplus of Rs 403.58 crore. This, together with the opening deficit of Rs 969.78 crore will lead to a Budget deficit of Rs 566.20 crore at the end of the year 2021-22," she added.