Finance Minister of Gujarat, Kanubhai Desai, has announced a budget of ₹3.01 lakh crore for the 2023-24 fiscal year, which includes an allocation of ₹550 crore for the reconstruction and strengthening of old bridges. The decision to focus on the renovation of old bridges is significant due to the backlash faced by the BJP-led government over the collapse of the Morbi suspension bridge last year, leading to the death of 135 individuals. The bridge had been renovated by Oreva, a private company that failed to obtain a fitness certificate from the local municipality before opening it to the public.
A 'Preliminary Report on Morbi Bridge Incident,' submitted by the Gujarat government-appointed Special Investigation Team (SIT), found multiple lapses in repairs, maintenance, and operation of the bridge, including almost half of the wires on one cable being corroded. The Morbi municipality recently received this report from the state urban development department. In addition, the Gujarat High Court ordered Oreva Group to pay ₹10 lakh interim compensation to the kin of each deceased and ₹2 lakh to each injured within four weeks.
Desai's budget includes a 23% increase in budgetary provisions from the previous year, and the state aims to spend ₹5 lakh crore over the next five years on infrastructure development. The Finance Minister allocated ₹905 crore for metro projects in Ahmedabad and Surat, ₹200 crore for the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train project, and ₹100 crore for the construction of iconic bridges in various municipal corporations.
The budget session of the Assembly began on Thursday and will continue until March 29. This is Desai's third successive budget and the first budget after the BJP retained power with a significant majority in the state assembly elections. The budget aims to benefit farmers and promote economic activities in the agriculture, industry, and services sectors. Additionally, Desai allocated ₹1,500 crore to develop five highways as high-speed corridors and ₹150 crore for the Sabarmati riverfront near GIFT City in Gandhinagar.
FAQs:
Q1: What is the Gujarat government's plan for infrastructure development?
The Gujarat government aims to spend ₹5 lakh crore over the next five years on infrastructure development, with a focus on renovating old bridges, constructing iconic bridges, and developing highways as high-speed corridors, among other projects.
Q2: What action did the Gujarat High Court take after the Morbi suspension bridge collapse?
The Gujarat High Court ordered Oreva Group to pay ten lakh rupees in interim compensation to the kin of each deceased person and two lakh rupees to each injured person within four weeks.
