Despite being critical of the UPA government’s rural employment programme, the NDA government has endorsed it in its Budget, while including work linked to agriculture and allied activities in 160 new works in a bid to use the programme to create permanent assets.
This year’s rural development budget has gone up from Rs. 61,810 crore (revised estimates for 2013-14) to Rs. 83,696 crore, with Rs. 33,000 crore allocated to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and Rs. 14,389 crore to Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana. The aim of total sanitation is expected to be achieved through Swatchh Bharat Abhiyan by 2019, the year of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, at a cost of Rs 1,000 crore.
A new Rs. 500-crore Deendayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana will provide 24x7 power supply to rural areas. An amount of Rs. 50,548 crore is proposed under the Scheduled Castes plan and Rs. 32,387 crore under the Tribal Sub-Plan. The Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission to deliver integrated project-based infrastructure in rural areas will be based on the Gujarat model of urbanisation of rural areas and implemented using the PPP model.
Sops for wind, solar energy equipmentWhile favouring ultra mega coal power plants, the government announced tax exemptions and duty concessions for wind and solar energy equipment. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has announced setting up of four Ultra Mega Solar Power Projects and solar-powered pumps for agriculture and doubled the coal cess to Rs. 100 a tonne to enhance the National Clean Energy Fund. He has proposed a Rs. 100-crore National Adaptation Fund and a National Centre for Himalayan Studies in Uttarakhand with an initial outlay of Rs. 100 crore.
The government will extend the scheme of Assistance to Disabled Persons for the purchase and fitting of aids and appliances (ADIP) to include contemporary aids and assistive devices. It proposes to establish a national-level institute for Universal Inclusive Design and Mental Health Rehabilitation and also a Centre for Disability Sports.
The government plans to print currency notes with Braille-like signs. Since the Braille presses in the government and private sector are unable to meet the demand for textbooks, the government will provide assistance to the States to establish 15 new Braille presses and modernise 10 existing Braille presses in the current financial year.
About Rs. 50 crore will be spent on pilot testing a scheme on safety for women in public road transport. An additional Rs. 150 crore will be spent by the Ministry of Home Affairs on a scheme to increase the safety of women in large cities. “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana” will be a focussed scheme to overcome the apathy to the girl child.
With the aim of achieving health for all, the government proposes two key initiatives — free drug service and free diagnostic service — to be taken up on priority, and universal access to early quality diagnosis and treatment for TB patients. Two National Institutes of Ageing will be set up at AIIMS, New Delhi, and Madras Medical College, Chennai. There is a plan to set up four more AIIMS-like institutions in Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Vidarbha in Maharashtra and Poorvanchal in U.P. for which Rs. 500 crore has been allocated.
Drug testing labsFor the first time, the Central government will provide assistance to strengthen the States Drug Regulatory and Food Regulatory Systems by creating new drug testing laboratories and strengthening the 31 existing State laboratories.
Fifteen model Rural Health Research Centres will be set up in the States, which will take up research on local health issues concerning the rural population. The government proposes a national programme in mission mode to tackle malnutrition as the present interventions are not adequate. A comprehensive strategy, including detailed methodology, costing, time lines and monitorable targets, will be put in place within six months.
