Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2020-2021 on Saturday. “People of India have unequivocally given their support to the policies of the Narendra Modi government. People reposed faith in our economic policies. This Budget aims to address aims, aspirations of people,” Sitharaman said in her address today.
FM Nirmala Sitharaman said the Budget 2020 was focussed on three themes — ‘Aspirational India, Economic Development For All and A Caring Society’.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also announced several measures to boost the social sectors of Health, Educational and Skill sectors in the country.
Health in Budget 2020
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech announced that the government has provided an additional Rs 69,000 crore for the health sector, adding that proceeds from taxes from medical devices will be used to build health infrastructure.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said that a proposal to set up viability gap funding to allow for entry of hospitals into aspirational districts through the PPP model, marking an expansion of capacity. Districts out of 112 aspirational districts that do not have any empanelled hospitals will be a priority, she added.
Focussing on ending the menace of Tuberculosis in the country, Finance Minister said, “TB will lose, India will win. Will eliminate TB by 2025. Mission Indradhanush has been extended to cover new diseases and new vaccines, said FM.
Finance Minister also said that the government is committed to ODF plus in order to sustain ODF open-defecation free behaviour.
She said Mission Indradhanush has been expanded to cover 5 more diseases and that 20000 hospitals have been empanelled under PM Ayushman Bharat Yojana. The FM proposed to expand Jan Aushadhi Kendras in all districts of the country to provide medicines at affordable rates.
Stressing on the health of mother and child, the minister said the government proposed to allocate Rs 35, 600 crore for nutritional programmes to be launched in 2021.
“We launched Poshan Abhiyaan in 2017-18, where more than 6 lakh Anganwadi workers were provided smartphones to upload nutritional status of 10 crore households,” said Sitharaman.
Education and Skill Development
In the Budget 2020-21 presented today, FM Nirmala Sitharman announced a Rs 99,300 crore outlay for the education sector and Rs 3,000 crore for skill development. The Modi government also proposed online education to ensure education accessibility for everyone.
“By 2030 India is said to have the largest working population in the world. Urban Local bodies around the country will provide internships for fresh engineers for up to a year,” said FM.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the government will bring a new national education policy and Rs 400 crore has been provided for world-class institutions.
“Talented teacher, nurses, paramedics and caregivers to be helped acquire better skills through a special course,” added Sitharman in her speech.
“To ensure education reaches everyone, degree-level full-fledged online education programs will be allowed for institutes ranked in the top 100 for children of the deprived sections of the society,” Sitharaman emphasised on budget’s focus on quality education in the country.
Sitharaman also proposed an online education to ensure education accessibility for everyone. “INSAT exam will be held in African and Asian countries to benchmark foreign students,” added Finance Minister.
In a big boost to the education sector, Finance Minister said from now External Commerical Borrowing and Foreign Direct Investment to be allowed to help states to deliver higher quality education to citizens.
“Internship programmes at local govt bodies for fresh engineering grads for a period up to 1 year. For deprived students, there will be a degree level full-fledged online education programme offered by top 100 institutes,” FM Sitharaman in her speech.
“More medical colleges will be built at district levels so as to train and produce more doctors in the country with a special training package,” she said in the Parliament.
“There exists a huge demand abroad for teachers, paramedical staff and caregivers. But their skills do not match the required ones by employers. My government proposes Rs 3000 crore for skill development. There is a shortage of qualified medical doctors both general practitioners and specialists,” Finance Minister announced.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Union Budget 2020 shall set out a road map to achieve the PM Narendra Modi-led government’s goal of making India a $5 trillion economy by 2025.
(Read LIVE Updates on Union Budget 2020-21 at Opindia here)