Wed Feb 19 20:17:44 UTC 2025: ## Rajasthan Unveils ₹5.37 Lakh Crore Budget Focused on Infrastructure and Job Creation
**Jaipur, February 20, 2025** – Rajasthan presented its 2025-26 state budget today, allocating ₹5.37 lakh crore (approximately $65 billion USD) despite a projected fiscal deficit of ₹84,643 crore (4.25% of GSDP). Finance Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari described the budget as the state’s first “green budget,” emphasizing infrastructure development, job creation, and environmental sustainability.
Key highlights of the budget include:
* **Job creation:** Recruitment of 2.75 lakh individuals across government and private sectors.
* **Infrastructure:** Construction of nine greenfield expressways at a cost of ₹60,000 crore.
* **Water supply:** Provision of drinking water connections to 20 lakh households.
* **Green initiatives:** Focus on sustainable agriculture, water harvesting, waste management, and capacity building in these areas.
* **Energy sector:** 150 units of free electricity per month for beneficiaries under the CM’s Free Electricity Scheme; 50,000 new agricultural power connections; 5 lakh domestic connections; and the installation of more solar plants.
* **Road infrastructure:** ₹10 crore allocated for non-patchable road work in each Assembly constituency, with additional funds for desert regions. ₹50 crore allocated for detailed project reports of ring roads in 15 cities, and ₹250 crore for traffic improvement work in Jaipur.
* **Tourism:** Development of 10 iconic tourist destinations, with ₹100 crore allocated for night tourism and ₹100 crore for a tribal tourism circuit.
* **Social welfare:** Increase in monthly social security pensions from ₹1,200 to ₹1,250.
* **Economic goals:** A stated aim to create a $350 billion economy by 2030.
The ruling BJP hailed the budget as promoting inclusive development, while the opposition Congress criticized it as mere “jugglery of figures,” lacking tangible benefits for youth, marginalized communities, and women. Former CM Ashok Gehlot claimed the budget would even negate Prime Minister Modi’s guarantees.
The budget projects revenue receipts of ₹2.94 lakh crore and revenue expenditure of ₹3.25 lakh crore, resulting in a revenue deficit of ₹31,009 crore. Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma expressed confidence that the budget will ensure sustainable development for the state. The assembly will address allegations of surveillance and phone tapping raised by a cabinet minister.
First Piper 