The Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday adjourned sine die after passing the state budget of Rs 62,421.73 crore for the year 2024-25, in the absence of six MLAs of Congress and three independent MLAs, including the opposition BJP.

Fifteen BJP members including Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur had been suspended, while remaining 10 had staged a walkout in protest against the suspension of the party MLAs.

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Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu introduced the Himachal Pradesh Appropriation Bill 2024 in the House that by the House by voice vote authorizing the government to spend Rs 6,24,21.73 crore from the consolidated fund.

The Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance portfolio, presented his second budget for the next financial year in the Assembly on February 17.

Discussion on the Budget had been held in the House for four days from February 19.

A provision of 28 per cent of the amount has been made in the budget for development works, while 42 per cent of the total budget will be spent on salaries, allowances and pensions of employees and pensioners.

As much as 11 per cent of the budget will be spent on repayment of interest on loans taken by the state government, while 9 per cent of the budget will be spent on taking back the loans, while 10 per cent of the budget will be spent on grants for autonomous institutions.

The Chief Minister has announced seven new schemes in the budget for the year 2024-25.

The budget has also kept the Lok Sabha elections in mind and tried to woo farmers-horticulturist, women, youth, employees and backward classes.

No provision for any new tax has been made in the budget.

Rs 582 crore has been allocated for agricultural sector and Rs 300 crore for the Horticulture sector.

Milk has been brought under the ambit of Minimum Support Price (MSP), thus making Himachal Pradesh the first state in the country to do so.

The Chief Minister announced hike in the MSP on cow milk from Rs 38 to Rs 45 per litre and buffalo milk from Rs 38 to Rs 55 per litre.

The prize money of players has been increased in the budget and also the diet money of police has also been increased from Rs 220 to Rs 1000.

A provision in the budget has been made to provide 4 percent DA for employees from April 1 and the facility of LTC twice during their service period. The budget session of Himachal Pradesh Assembly ended a day before the schedule.

Amidst the political crisis that arose after the defeat of the ruling Congress in the Rajya Sabha elections and resignation by Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh, the government passed the budget for the next financial year of the state by presenting the Finance Bill in the House a day earlier.

Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said that the House has no work left for the session and in such a situation the assembly is adjourned sine die.