New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Friday said the government will bring a new national educational policy and Rs 400 crore has been provided for world class institutions.
Presenting the first Budget of the Modi government in its second term, she said a draft legislation for higher education commission will be presented. India has potential to become educational hub, she said while proposing Study in India programme to attract foreign students. The finance minister also said that a National Sports Education Board will be set up under the Khelo India scheme. To sensitise youth about Mahatma Gandhi’s ideas, Sitharaman said a ‘Gandhi-pedia’ is being developed.
Womenpower
A committee will be set up to evaluate, suggest measures to encourage and facilitate women participation in country’s development.The Minister proposed to expand self help groups (SHG) to all districts and said one woman in every SHG will get loan of up to Rs 1 lakh under Mudra Yojana. She further noted that the government will streamline multiple labour laws into a set of four labour codes
PPP in Railway projects
Railway infrastructure would need an investment of Rs 50 lakh crores between 2018 and 2030, said the Union Finance Minister. She proposed that a public private partnership (PPP) be used to unleash faster development and delivery of passenger freight services for railway projects to boost the connectivity. ‘Railways will be encouraged to invest in suburban railways through special purpose vehicles (SPVs) and enhance metro rail network through PPPs,’ she said.
Water for all
The newly set up Jal Shakti Ministry will look at the mgmt of our water resources & water supply in an integrated & holistic manner and will work with states to ensure ‘Har Ghar Jal’, to all rural households by 2024 under ‘Jal Jeevan Mission’, said the Minister.
About agriculture
Ease of doing business and easing of living should apply to farmers too. Need to go back to ‘zero budget farming’ which will help doubling farmers income, she said. She also proposed to set up 10,000 new farmer producer organisations. 80 Livelihood business incubators and 20 technology business incubators to be set up in 2019-20 under ASPIRE to develop 75,000 skilled entrepreneurs in agro-rural industries, the Minister announced.