Union Budget 2020-21: Social Sector and Infrastructure | 03 Feb 2020

Why in News

The Union Minister of Finance has presented the Budget 2020-21. Given below are the provisions related to the social sector and infrastructure.

Agriculture

  • 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.
  • Agri-credit availability set at ₹15 lakh crore for 2020-21.

Health

  • 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.

Education

  • ₹99,300 crore for the education sector in 2021 and about ₹3,000 crore for skill development.
  • Urban local bodies to provide internship to young engineers for a year.
  • Degree-level full fledged online education programmes by institutions ranked in the top 100 in NIRF rankings, especially to benefit underprivileged students.
  • A national police university and a national forensic science university is proposed to be setup.
  • IND SAT exam for students of Asia and Africa to promote “study in India” programme.

Infrastructure

  • Infrastructure Financing
    • Rs. 103 lakh crore for National Infrastructure Pipeline projects announced.
    • An international bullion exchange to be set up at GIFT City.
    • 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.
    • Government to monetise 12 lots of national highways by 2024.
  • 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.

Culture and Tourism

  • Proposal to establish Indian Institute of Heritage and Conservation.
  • 5 archaeological sites to be developed as iconic sites:
    • Rakhigarhi (Haryana)
    • Hastinapur (Uttar Pradesh)
    • Shivsagar (Assam)
    • Dholavira (Gujarat)
    • Adichanallur (Tamil Nadu)
  • Maritime museum to be set up at Lothal (Gujarat).
  • Tribal Museum in Ranchi
  • A museum on Numismatics and Trade to be established.