•  Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh presented Himachal Budget 2017-18 in which he announced schemes for government employees including contract employees.

Following are the main highlights of Himachal Budget 2017- 18:

• All Departments will continue to undertake exercise to delegate and simplify procedures to reduce the requirement of people to visit Government offices.
• MLAs can pose developmental schemes under RIDF upto 80 crore to NABARD.
• “Vidhayak Kshetriya Vikas Nidhi” increased to ` 1 crore 10 lakh.
• “Software Technology Park” to be set up in Shimla and in Kangra District.
• ` 220 crore proposed for State Food Subsidy scheme.
• World Bank aided Horticulture Development Project of ` 1,134 crore will be made operational in 2017-18.
• ` 12 crore provided to orchardists/farmers for subsidy on power sprayers, power tillers and other equipments.
• New scheme launched to provide subsidy on plastic crates.
• New Nursery promotion scheme launched.
• 40 percent subsidy to youth for establishing Soil Testing Labs.
• The Subsidy under “Mukhya Mantri Khet Sanrakshan Yojna” enhanced from 60 percent to 80 percent with a budget provision of ` 30 crore.
• Covered area for construction of poly houses raised from 2,000 to 4,000 square meters for subsidy purpose.
• New “Mukhya Mantri Green House Renovation Scheme” launched for replacement of polysheets.
• “Panchayat Pashudhan Purskar Yojna” with a budget provision of ` 7.80 crore.
• Milk procurement price enhanced by ` 1 per litre.
• 75 percent subsidy for setting up of Milk Processing and Chilling Plants by Dairy Co-operative Societies.
• 100 trout units to be constructed.
• ` 800 crore new H.P. Forest Eco-System Management and Livelihood Project and new ` 1,300 crore H.P. Forests for Prosperity to be started.
• A permanent bird ringing station to be established at Ramsar Wetland site, Pong Dam.
• Six Bio-diversity tourism parks will be developed at Kanlog, Sarahan, Kasol, Dharamshala, Paonta Sahib and Mandi.
• Pollution Control Board to support 10 Municipal Committees/Nagar Panchayats in Urban Solid Waste Management.
• Regional Laboratory will be established in Shimla to check water and air quality and District level in Districts.
• New “Mukhya Mantri Rural Livelihood Scheme” started to provide livelihood to rural youth.
• Additional ` 42 crore will be provided to Zila Parishad and Panchayat Samitis for development.
• New “Mukhya Mantri Rural Road Repair Scheme” with a budget provision of ` 20 crore.
• ` 115 crore provided for various housing schemes.
• ` 50 crore earmarked under AMRUT scheme.
• 50 percent grant to Urban Local Bodies for construction of parking and 60 percent subsidy for development of public parks.
• Online map approval/planning permission introduced.
• ` 260 crore kept for Disaster Management.
• ` 160 crore kept for completion of 160 Drinking Water Supply and 70 Irrigation Schemes in 2017-18.
• ` 837 crore World Bank funded project for Shimla city to be started.
• ` 670 crore new project to cover leftout habitation with assistance of BRICS Bank.
• ` 75 crore kept for Command Area Development works.
• ` 450 crore of energy charges to be borne by the State Government for drinking water and irrigation facilities.
• Government has provided ` 2,890 crore of loan to HPSEBL to repay high cost debts, which will save ` 90 crore of interest payment per annum to HPSEBL.
• ` 450 crore provided for subsidizing electricity to domestic consumers.
• Change of land use for service industries to be allowed in all industrial areas.
• Two State of Art Industrial areas in Pandoga and Kandrori will be made functional.
• ` 10 crore provided for “State Mission on Food Processing.”
• New “Integrated Scheme for Development of Handloom and Handicraft” scheme started.
• ` 53 crore earmarked for modern training equipments for 50 ITIs.
• ` 52 crore proposed to establish 6 City Livelihood Centres and 4 Rural Livelihood Centres.
• “Graduate Ad-on Programme” will be started to improve the employment potential of the youth.
• Unemployment Allowance to be given to the youth having 10+2 and above qualifications at the rate of ` 1,000 and ` 1,500 for disabled per month with a budget provision of `150 crore .
• ` 100 crore kept for “Skill Development Allowance Scheme.”
• Construction workers to be provided grant for LPG connections and scholarship for children for professional courses.
• ` 265 crore equity and grant-in-aid to HRTC.
• Lakkar Bazar Bus Stand to be re-allocated to Dhalli.
• ` 4 crore will be provided to develop two more Transport Nagars.
• 1,000 new bus permits will be given to unemployed youth.
• Second phase of State Road Project of ` 750 crore to be started.
• ` 50 crore for road safety.
• 380 kilometre motorable roads and 30 bridges will be constructed and 500 kilometre of new roads will be metalled and tarred in 2017-18.
• ` 50 crore will be provided under “Mukhya Mantri Sadak Yojna.”
• A self-assessment scheme for dealers having turnover of ` 2 crore to be framed.
• Lump-sum tax payment scheme for traders upto a turnover of ` 40 lakh.
• Entry Tax to be reduced from 1 percent to half percent for existing industries also.
• Additional Good Tax on iron, steel and plastic goods will be reduced.
• The revised rates of electricity duty for new industries will also be extended to new Hotels.
• For enhancement of learning ability, New “Prerna Plus” and “Prayas Plus” schemes for students.
• Government Polytechnics at Rehan and Basantpur to be made operational in 2017-18.
• Cultural Centre for Tourists will be developed at Bantony Castle.
• ` 15 crore provided for the construction of Indoor Auditorium.
• Grant-in-aid to voluntary organizations for cultural activities raised to ` 40 thousand.
• Grant for youth Clubs enhanced from ` 25 thousand to ` 35 thousand.
• ` 15 crore provided for construction of Multipurpose Indoor Complexes.
• Special efforts to develop cancer treatment facility in the State. Critical Care Package for cancer patients enhanced from ` 1 lakh 75 thousand to ` 2 lakh 25 thousand.
• AMRIT pharmacy to be opened in Medical Colleges and District Hospitals.
• Assistance per child raised to ` 4,000 under “Mother Teresa Matri Ashraya Sambal Yojna”
• “Panchayat Balika Gaurav Purskar Yojna” with a budget provision of ` 1 crore 50 lakh.
• Stamp duty reduced from 6 percent to 3 percent for the purchase of land for residential purpose by women.
• Social Security pension to be enhanced from ` 650 per month to ` 700 per month.
• Pension to be provided to all mentally retarded children /adults without any income limit.
• The pension of persons aged 80 years and above increased from ` 1,200 to ` 1,250 per month.
• Reservation quota for Persons with Disabilities proposed to be increased from 3 percent to 4 percent in Government jobs.
• Nautor to be sanctioned in all the scheduled areas of the State.
• Samman Rashi of freedom fighters increased from ` 10, 000 to ` 15,000.
• Samman Rashi to widows of freedom fighters increased from ` 5,000 to ` 15,000.
• Marriage grant for the daughters of freedom fighters enhanced from ` 21,000 to ` 31,000.
• Women police stations will be established at Una, Nahan and Bilaspur.
• Fire posts in Karsog and Shillai to be established during the year.
• ` 10 crore will be provided for construction of building of National Law University.
• ` 30 crore for police housing and ` 6 crore for repair.
• ` 1 crore for construction of Advocate’s /Bar Rooms.
• ` 2,000 co-contribution under “Atal Pension Yojna.”
• More than 19 thousand functional posts to be filled up in various departments.