On Friday, Rajasthan’s Chief Minister, Ashok Gehlot, presented the state budget in the Rajasthan Assembly, following a tumultuous event in which he mistakenly read the previous year’s budget for seven minutes before being corrected by the chief whip. The opposition BJP members staged a protest, claiming that the budget was leaked before its official presentation in the house. After apologizing for the error, Ashok Gehlot went on to deliver the actual budget for 2023-24.

Some of the highlights of the budget include:

1. Free electricity to more than 11 lakh farmers consuming less than ₹2,000 per month, with uninterrupted power supply for farming being a top priority for the government.
2. The implementation of the Rajasthan Farmers Debt Relief Act, aimed at safeguarding the lands of small and marginal farmers from being auctioned.
3. Benefits under the Old Pension Scheme for employees of various boards and corporations in the state. This is a continuation of the revival of the OPS that was announced in the previous year’s budget.
4. The introduction of the Gig Workers Welfare Act and the establishment of a board and a welfare fund of ₹200 crore, in response to the growing gig economy and the increasing number of gig workers in the state (estimated at 3-4 lakh). These measures are aimed at protecting gig workers from harassment.
5. An inflation relief package of ₹19,000 crore, which includes providing free food packets every month to poor families.
6. Ashok Gehlot also announced LPG cylinders for ₹500 under the Ujjwala scheme and an increase in coverage from ₹10 lakh to ₹25 lakh per year per family under the Chiranjeevi Swasthya Bima Yojana.