Budget 2020-21 – Social Sector and Infrastructure

Prelims level : Economics - Budget Mains level : GS-III Government Budgeting.
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  • The Union Budget 2020-21 has been presented in the parliament recently. The key provisions related to the Social Sector and infrastructure sector has been discussed in brief below.
  • 1. Agriculture Sector:
    • Agri-credit availability set at ₹15 lakh crore for 2020-21.
    • A budget allocation of ₹2.83 lakh crore for 16 action points.
    • The action points include measures to provide farmers access to faraway markets by running trains (Kisan Rail) and flights (Krishi Udaan) and providing relief to farmers from water shortage.
    • It will also include ‘One-Product One-District’for better marketing and export in the Horticulture sector. The scheme is already functional in Uttar Pradesh.
    • The focus is also on Jaivik Kheti Portal(online national organic products market), Zero-Budget Natural Farming, PM-KUSUM.
  • 2.Health Sector:
    • An allocation of ₹69,000 crore for the health sector.
    • Proposal to set up hospitals in Tier-II and Tier-III cities with the private sector using PPP model.
    • Expansion of Jan Aushadhi Kendra Scheme to all districts by 2024.
    • A task force to be appointed to recommend regarding steps required to lower the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) and Improving Nutrition.
  • 3. Education:
    • An amount of ₹99,300 crore has been allocated for the education sector and about ₹3,000 crore for skill development respectively.
    • Degree-level full-fledged online education programmes by institutions ranked in the top 100 in NIRF rankings, especially to benefit underprivileged students.
    • Urban local bodies to provide internship to young engineers for a year.
    • Proposal to set up National Police University and a National Forensic Science University.
    • IND SAT exam for students of Asia and Africa to promote “study in India” programme.
  • 4. Infrastructure:
    • Rs. 103 lakh crore’s for National Infrastructure Pipeline projects announced.
    • An international bullion exchange to be set up at GIFT City.
    • The budget has also announced that proceeds from divestment will go only into capital expenditure and not revenue expenditure.

Transport:

  • Budget proposes to provide ₹1.7 lakh crore for transport infrastructure in 2021.
  • National Logistics Policy to be released soon.
  • Chennai-Bengaluru Expressway to be started.

Railways

  • Aims to achieve electrification of 27,000 km of railway lines.
  • Plan to have a large solar power capacity for Indian Railways.
  • 100 more airports will be developed by 2024 to support UDAN.
  • 5 new smart cities in public-private partnership mode.
  • 5. Culture and Tourism
    • Five Archaeological Sites to be developed as Iconic Sites:

    a)Rakhigarhi (Haryana)
    b)Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh)
    c)Shivsagar (Assam)
    d)Dholavira (Gujarat)
    e)Adichanallur (Tamil Nadu)

    • Proposal to Establish:

    a)Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation.
    b)Maritime museum at Lothal (Gujarat).
    c)Tribal Museum in Ranchi
    d)A museum on Numismatics and Trade.

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