Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday proposed measures targeting PM Modi’s four key areas including welfare of youth, women, farmers, and the poor.
The government is focused on improving conditions for the poor, women, youth and farmers, Sitharaman said, setting the tone for welfare schemes to be announced in these areas.
“…yuva, women, those who give us the food security, good farmers, and then the unfortunate poor, who still need some more support for them to get uplifted. So, (focus on) just these four groups, everything will be focused towards their betterment. Then you don’t really get into this whole thing about you know which caste which community which religion, everybody is covered,” she had said.
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More Lakhpati Didis
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday announced that the Modi government would be increasing the target of women beneficiaries under its Lakhpati Didi Scheme to three crore women from two crore.
“83 lakh Self Help Groups with nine crore women are transforming the rural socioeconomic landscape, and have assisted nearly one crore women in becoming lakhpati didis already,” Sitharaman said while presenting the interim Budget for the next fiscal year starting April 1, 2024.
Sitharaman also recounted the Modi government’s previous schemes for women, while also extolling Indian womens’ participation in the workforce and in STEM courses.
“Female enrolment in higher education is up by 28 per cent in 10 years, in STEM courses, girls and women make up 43 per cent of enrolment, one of the highest in the world. All these steps are reflected in the increasing participation of women in the workforce. Making triple talaq illegal, reservation of 1/3 seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies, over 70 per cent houses under PM Awas Yojana to women have increased their dignity,” the Finance Minister said.
Additionally, she revealed that 34 crore Mudra Yojana loans have been extended to women entrepreneurs, promoting financial inclusion and empowerment.
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The Finance Minister also announced that the government would encourage cervical cancer vaccinations for girls between the ages of nine and 14.
“Our government will encourage vaccination for girls in the age group of 9 to 14 years for providing prevention of cervical cancer,” she said.
Continued focus on Skill India Mission for youth
In her interim budget speech, Nirmala Sitharaman said that as many as 1.4 crore youth were trained and upskilled under the Skill India Mission.
The mission focuses on skilling, re-skilling and upskilling through short-term and long-term training programmes.
Under the mission, the government, through more than 20 central ministries/departments, is implementing various skill development schemes across the country.
She also said there is a macro-economic stability and the country’s economy is doing well.
The government is focused on more comprehensive GDP, governance, development and performance, she added
Aiming for atmanirbhar annadatas (farmers)
Finance Ministry said that a strategy will be developed for Atma Nirbharta for oilseeds production and suggested that efforts of the value addition in agriculture sector and increasing farmers’ income will be stepped up.
After the adoption of Nano Urea, application of Nano DAP on various crops will be expanded in all agro-climatic zones.
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For ensuring faster growth of the sector Government will further promote private and public investment in post-harvest activities including aggregation, modern storage, efficient supply chains, primary and secondary processing and marketing and branding.
Food, housing schemes for poor
Union finance minister Sitharaman said the government will launch a scheme to help deserving section of the middle class living in rented houses or slums or chawls or unauthorized colonies to buy and build their own houses.
In addition to this, Sitharaman said, “Despite the challenges due to Covid, implementation of PM Awas Yojana Rural continued and we are close to achieving the target of 3 crore houses. 2 crore more houses will be taken up in the next 5 years to meet the requirement arising from increase in the number of families.”
In her speech, the Finance Minister said, through roof-top solarisation, 1 crore households will be enabled to obtain up to 300 units of free electricity every month. “This scheme follows the resolve of the Prime Minister on the historic day of the consecration of Shri Ram Mandir in Ayodhya,” she added.
“In the last 10 years, we have targeted every household for houses for all, water for all, and cooking gas for all,” Sitharaman declared, emphasizing the comprehensive approach towards addressing basic needs and improving living standards.
