Revised Kerala Budget 2016-17 highlights

Revised Budget: Overall deficit: Rs. 711.38 cr.
Additional Resource Mobilisation: Rs. 805 cr.
Additional expenditure announced: Rs. 730.10 cr. Concessions: Rs. 5 cr.
Cumulative deficit: Rs. 746.69 cr.

Tax proposals:
5% tax on coconut oil to check smuggling of spurious oil
5 % tax on packaged wheat products and basmati rice
Fat tax of 14.5 per cent on burger, pizza, tacos, doughnuts,sandwich,burger-patty and pasta, bread fillings and other cooked food of branded restaurants
Value added tax on textiles increased from one to 2%
Stamp duty on sale deeds increased from 6% to 8%
Duty on partition, gift,release and settlement deeds increased to 3%
Ceiling on stamp duty and registration fees lifted
CPWD norms would be invoked for fixing the value flats for registration.
5% tax on washing and bar soaps claimed to be made from coconut oil
20% tax on disposable plastic tumblers

Tax on vehicles:
10% hike in tax on goods vehicles
Tax on contract carriages registered in Kerala and other States unified
Floor area will be adopted as norm for fixing tax on stage carriages
Vehicles used for mobile business to attract special tax
Green tax on vehicles older than 15 years
Rs. 7 cr to be netted by tax on old vehicles
Fee for transit pass raised to Rs. 250

Concessions:
Tax on scrap batteries reduced to 5%
Municipal plastic waste exempted from tax
Tax concession on sale/transfer of rights of films restored
Luxury tax on hotels reduced

Other highlights
Rs. 12000 cr. package to overcome economic slump--
Free treatment under Karunya scheme to be made a matter of right
All workers to get pension. Pensions to be hiked to Rs. 1000 a month
Pension for artists to be raised to Rs. 1500 a month
Women abandoned by husbands for five years to get pension
Plan for housing for all in five years. EMS housing project to be completed.
Pre-metric hostels to be modernised
Rs. 500 cr for price stabilisation fund for rubber
Support price for coconut to be hiked from Rs. 25 to Rs. 27
Rs. 25 crore for vegetable farming
Rs. 200 crore for building pulimuts
1000 schools to be developed to international standards in 5 years
Rs. 500 cr converting high school and plus two classes to hightech classes
Rs. 50 crore for polytechnics
Water Authority to break even without increasing water charges:
Steps to stop leakage of water and revenue: Arrears to Govt to be written off
Rs. 1000 crore for medical colleges, general hospitals and taluk hospitals (from package)
Rs. 5000 cr. for roads and bridges from package
Drugs manufacturing company to be set up under KSDP
1000 CNG buses to be brought for Ernakulam
Special fund for promoting LED lights
1000 MW solar energy generation targeted from roof top panels
Rs. 8000 cr for land acquisition for various projects
Ropeway to Ponmudi tourist destination
Kochi-Coimbatore industrial corridor: 1500 acres to be acquired
5100 acres to be acquired for five multi-purpose industrial zones
Pension for transgenders aged above 60 years
10 per cent of plan funds to be set apart for project for women
Gender auditing to be resumed
Rs. 50 crore for fresh up centres (public comfort stations)
Real time uploading of bills issued by traders with turnover of more than Rs. 5 cr
Merchants welfare fund to be streamlined with increase in benefits
Rs. 20 cr. for welfare fund for migrant labourers

Carbon neutral Wayanad
Revised Kerala Budget for 2016-17 seeks achieve carbon neutrality in Wayanad district, starting with Meenangadi Panchayat.

The plan envisages estimation and reduction of carbon emissions and neutralisation by planting trees. A project has been submitted to NABARD for assistance.

Law on migrant labourers
Finance Minister T. M. Thomas Isaac announced in his Budget speech that a law would be brought on migrant labourers on the lines of the Central law.

It would focus on their welfare more than regulation, he said. Rs. 20 cr. is earmarked for their welfare.

Free Wifi
Government will carry out a special programme to make free wifi available in bus stands, railway stations and parks.

All first grade libraries in the State too would be covered under the scheme.

Financial indicators
Total receipts:           Rs. 107285.21 cr.
Total expenditure:      Rs. 107996.60 cr.
Revenue receipts:      Rs. 84616.85 cr.
Revenue expenditure: Rs. 97683.10 cr.
Revenue deficit:         Rs. 13066.25 (1.98%) cr.
Capital expenditure:   Rs. 9572.92 cr.
Fiscal deficit:             Rs. 23139.89 cr. (3.51%)
Primary deficit:          1.59 per cent

Budget reactions:

Anti-people Budget that imposes additional burden of Rs. 800 crore on people—Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of Opposition

Unrealistic—Muslim League leader P. K. Kunhalikutty

Revenue gap goes up by 32%. Budget lacks credibility—Kerala Congress (M) leader K. M. Mani.

Concessions are meted out with a feudal mind. Will lead to price rise—O. Rajagopal, BJP

Budget caters to both the ruling Front and the Opposition—P. C. George, Independent