Punjab finance minister opens purse strings

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal presented the state budget with an outlay of £ 16.80 billion for the financial year 2021-22 in the state assembly. Badal tabled the last budget of the Amarinder Singh-led government. The assembly elections are due early next year. In the budget the government increased old-age pension to Rs 1,500 and free travel for women in govt buses. Govt has also proposed to waive farm loans of 113,000 farmers. The government has also decided to set up 2 new medical colleges, 8 maternal and child health wings, free bus travel for govt college students and £10 million allotted for smartphones for class 12 students. The minister also announced an increase in the amount under the Shagun scheme from Rs 21,000 to Rs 51,000.