Haryana to accord priority to crucial sectors in Budget

Chandigarh, Feb 13 (UNI) The Haryana government will accord priority to infrastructure, agriculture, health and education sectors in the ensuing budget for the next fiscal year.

''We want that benefit of schemes percolate down to the poor sections of the society,'' Finance Minister Birender Singh said here today while presiding over a pre-budget meeting with the representatives of industries, agriculture, universities, PHD Chamber of Commerce, Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and farmers.

Mr Birender Singh opined that infrastructure was must in the state as without proper basic facilities development was not possible. He lauded the role of the industrialists and the members of PHDCC and CII for providing unstinted cooperation to the government which resulted in 100 per cent increase in the taxes in the last three years.

He was of the opinion that rise in the tax collection was the result of the change in thinking of tax payers.

The Finance Minister said that no tax had been imposed in the State ever since VAT was introduced. Rather some taxes had been rationalised and reduced to provide benefit to the traders as well as the people of the state, he added.

He assured the meeting that all the suggestions and opinions received from different sections would be taken into consideration and these would be incorporated in the budget.

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