Cong govt doubled debt burden on state: Rajasthan minister Baghmar

Jaipur, Jul 23 (PTI) Rajasthan minister Manju Baghmar said in the Assembly on Tuesday that the previous government doubled the debt burden on the state in the last five years.

She was replying to the supplementary questions asked by the members in this regard on behalf of the Finance Minister during the Question Hour.

She informed that in the year 2017-18, till March 31, 2018, the total debt and liability in the state was Rs 2,81,182 crore. During the tenure of the previous government, this debt burden more than doubled to Rs 5,70,646 crore in the year 2023-24.

Baghmar, Minister of State for Women and Child Development, informed that the previous government took more debt in the last five years than the debt taken in the state during the 67 years from 1951 to 2017-18, increasing the debt burden on the state by Rs 2,89,464 crore due to which the interest payment of the state government has also increased drastically.

Dr Baghmar informed that the debt GSDP ratio was 33.77 per cent in the year 2017-18, which increased by about 4 per cent to 37.44 per cent in the year 2023-24 during the tenure of the previous government.

She informed that the present government has tried to limit it to 35.97 per cent by reducing the debt GSDP ratio in the budget this year.

She said that according to the revised estimates for 2024-25, the total debt and liability are estimated to be over Rs 6.4 lakh crore. Also, as per the FRBM Act 2005, it is desired to bring it to 38.20 per cent of the GSDP.

The Minister of State for Women and Child Development said that the state government is committed to strengthening medical facilities. He said that a provision of Rs 27,660 crore has been made for medical and health facilities in this financial year, which is more than the national average. PTI AG HIG HIG