MISA detainees' widows to get half pension in MP

Bhopal, Mar 4 (UNI) Madhya Pradesh Finance Minister Raghavji today announced in the Assembly that MISA (Maintenance of Internal Security Act) detainees' widows would be provided half pension.

The state's 2008-09 Budget enshrines a provision for pension and medical facilities to MISA detainees.

''The Budget waived tax on several items and reduced it on some others. A Rs 5,200-crore provision was made for farmers' relief.

Penalty was waived on peasants' power bills, basic electricity dues halved and other facilities provided, the Minister said.

Development-oriented work will make the Bharatiya Janata Party return to power in this state, he claimed while replying to a general debate on the budget.

Despite its ''limited resources,'' the state government made a Rs 619.41-cr provision for drought-affected areas. A sum of Rs 450 cr was spent on Bundelkhand region alone. A Rs 6,000-cr provision was made for irrigation, he said.

''The Centre hiked diesel price but the state government reduced 1 per cent tax on it thereby placing an additional burden of Rs 70 crore on the exchequer,'' the Minister added.

Dismissing the opposition's allegations regarding non-utilisation of central funds, he claimed that 95 per cent of such funds was utilised.

UNI AG-AC SLD AS2022