NEW DELHI: We are taking on a people-centric agenda to take on global challenges, says Nirmala Sitharam as she presents the First budget in ‘Amritkaal’.
Economic agenda focuses on three things – facilitating ample opportunity for citizens, especially the youth, providing a strong impetus to growth and job creation and third stabilising the macro economy.
Key Takeaways from the fifth Budget presentation by the Finance Minister are:
Pushing for transport infra projects: 50 additional airports, heliports, water aerodromes, and advanced landing zones to be revitalised. 100 critical transport infra projects for steel, ports, fertiliser, coal, foodgrain sectors have been identified with an investment of Rs75,000 crore including Rs 15,000 crore from private sources.
Food Security: Scheme for free food grain to all Antyodaya and priority households for one year under PM Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana. FM highlighting the contribution made to the society during thr Pandemic, said, “we ensured that nobody goes to bed hungry with a scheme to supply free foodgrains to over 80 crore persons for 28 months”.
Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme: The government will launch the Atmanirbhar Clean Plant Programme to improve the availability of disease-free quality planting material for high-value horticultural crops at an outlay of Rs 2,200 crore:
Agri start-ups: An agriculture accelerator fund to encourage agritech startups by young entrepreneurs in rural areas. The funds will focus on bringing innovative solutions for challenges faced by farmers.
Push for Agri and Fisheries: Computerization for 63,000 primary agricultural credit societies with an investment of Rs 2,516 crore. The agricultural credit target increased to 20 lakh crores. Assistance to nearly 1 crore farmers to adopt natural farming.
Sub scheme for those involved in Fisheries under PM Matsya Sampada Yojana with an outlay of Rs 6,000 crore
Education: National Digital library for children and adolescents to make up for the learning loss during the pandemic.
100 labs to develop apps using 5g services to be set up in Engineering institutions.
30 Skill India International Centres to be set up pan India.
38,000 teachers to be hired for Eklavya Model Residential Schools in the next 3 years.
157 new nursing colleges in core locations to come up.
PM Awaas Yojana: outlay enhanced by 66% to over Rs 79,000 crores
Highest ever booter for Railways: Capital outlay of Rs 2.40 lakh crore will be provided for railways; 9x over FY14.
Green Growth: Green Hydorgen Mission for reduced dependance on fossil fuel; Rs 35,000 crore energy transition to net zero emission goals. Battery energy storage systems of 4000MWh will be supported.
Tech: 3 centres for excellence for AI will be set up in top educational institutions with the goal of “Make AI in India”, “Make AI Work for India”.