Union Budget 2018: Arun Jaitley Gives Big Boost To Farmers, Education For All & Ease Of Living For Poor
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today presented the government's last full Union Budget. The Budget 2018 lays major emphasis on agriculture, education, ease of living for poor and health.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today presented the government's last full Union Budget. The Budget 2018 lays major emphasis on agriculture, education, ease of living for poor and health.
In the introduction to his speech Jaitley stressed on a government based on honesty, adding that PM Modi promised to build ¡°a strong and confident new India¡±. Indian economy is now 2.5 trillion-dollar economy in the world and will very soon become the fifth largest economy, he added.
¡°There was a time when corruption was the norm. But today's youth wants to lead a life on honesty. There is a premium on honesty...The government led by PM Modi have successfully implemented a series of structural reforms...Indian economy has performed very well since our government took over in May 2014. It is now the seventh largest in the world,¡± Jaitley said.
The economy is expected to grow at 7.2-7.5% in the second half of 2018-19, Jaitley said.
Here are the key announcements made by the FM.
Pradhan Mantri Saubhagya Yojana for power to all
Rs 16,000 cr to be spent on providing electricity connection to 4 cr poor households, says FM Arun Jaitley. #Budget2018
¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 1, 2018
Giving a big boost to providing power in the remotest areas of the country, Arun Jaitley announced the launch of Pradhan Mantri Saubhagya Yojana.
2 crore more toilets under Swachh Bharat mission
Over 6 crore toilets built under Swachh Bharat Mission; govt to build another 2 crore toilets: FM Arun Jaitley. #Budget2018
¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 1, 2018
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachch Bharat mission has been scripting grand success. Taking it forward, Jaitley said that the government plans to construct 2 Crore more toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission.
Proposal to increase target of providing free LPG to 8 Crore poor women
Govt to provide free LPG connection to 8 cr women under Ujjwala scheme, up from earlier target of 5 cr, says FM Arun Jaitley. #Budget2018
¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 1, 2018
Jaitley proposed to increase the target of providing free LPG connections to 8 crore to poor women.
Govt proposes to launch 'Operation Greens' on the lines of Operation Flood'
The government has proposed the allocation of Rs 500 crores for ¡®Operation Green¡¯ in a move to focus on crop sustenance, agricultural logistics. Jailtley added that an Agri-Market Development Fund with a corpus of 2000 crore will be created for developing agricultural markets. Jaitley proposed the launch of a restructure national bamboo mission with Rs 10,000 crore allocated to the fisheries and animal husbandry sectors.
The government has been under scanner after country-wide protests took place in 2017 on the dismal state of farmers and the rising rate of farmer suicide.
Minimum Selling Price shall be increased to at least 1.5 times of production costs
¡°We had sought to effect a paradigm shift in farm sector. I am very happy to announce that minimum support price has been set at 1.5 times the production cost for kharif crops,¡± Finance Minister Arun Jaitley said. The FM added that the government will focus on farm and non-form employment generation.
If the prices are lower than MSP then the government will have to ensure that farmers get MSP or an apt price for their products.
Delhi-NCR has been reeling under intense air pollution, choking the residents, since last few months. Jaitley made a key announcement to tackle air pollution in these areas.
Special scheme to support efforts of Haryana, Punjab, UP and Delhi to tackle air pollution through use of in-situ machinery for disposing crop residue, says FM. #Budget2018
Rural development, health, education, infrastructure and education remain the key areas of focus for the government:
Govt's budget for health, education and social security increased to Rs 1.38 lakh crore for 2018-19 from Rs 1.22 lakh crore in current fiscal: FM Arun Jaitley. #Budget2018
¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 1, 2018
Agriculture ministry will reorient ongoing programmes to promote cluster-based horticulture production, says FM. #Budget2018
¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 1, 2018
Govt to set up 24 new medical colleges and hospitals by upgrading district level ones: FM Arun Jaitley. #Budget2018
¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 1, 2018
10 cr families will be provided Rs 5 lakh cover per family per year for treatment under National Health Protection scheme. #Budget2018
¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 1, 2018
Govt to launch flagship National Health Protection scheme to cover 10 crore poor and vulnerable people: FM Arun Jaitley. #Budget2018
¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 1, 2018
Govt to substantially increase allocation under national livelihood mission to Rs 5,750 cr in next fiscal; focus will be on providing maximum livelihood projects in rural areas: FM Arun Jaitley. #Budget2018
¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) February 1, 2018