The government said it is committed to the goal of doubling farmers’ incomes by 2022. The finance minister informed that the government has provided energy sovereignty through KUSUM and input sovereignty through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and has provided resilience for 6.11 crores farmers insured under PM Fasal Bima Yojana. Its focus on cultivation of pulses, expansion of micro-irrigation through Krishi Sinchai Yojana, have raised the self-reliance of the country.
The government, however, has accepted that the prosperity to farmers can be ensured by making farming competitive, for which farm markets need to be liberalised, distortions in farm and livestock markets need to be removed, purchase of farm produce, logistics and agri-services need copious investments and substantial support and hand-holding of farm-based activities such as livestock, apiary, and fisheries need to be provided for.
Apart from providing a 16-Point plan for agriculture, here are a slew of measures that the finance minister has announced under the ‘Aspirational India’ head. The government proposes to provide about Rs 99,300 crore for education sector in 2020-21 and about Rs 3,000 crores for skill development.
The government has launched a very focused safe water (Jal Jeevan Mission) and comprehensive sanitation program (Swachch Bharat Mission) to support its health vision. The move is aimed at reducing the disease burden on the poor.
Presently, under Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), there are more than 20,000 empanelled hospitals. The government recognises the need to have more such hospitals in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities for poorer people under this scheme.
It proposes to set up Viability Gap funding window for setting up hospitals in the PPP mode. In the first phase, those aspirational districts will be covered, where presently there are no Ayushman empanelled hospitals.
The government has provided for the health sector about Rs 69,000 crore that is inclusive of Rs 6,400 crore for Prime Minister Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY). It has launched the “TB Harega Desh Jeetega” campaign and has committed to end Tuberculosis by 2025. It has proposed to expand Jan Aushadhi Kendra Scheme to all districts offering 2,000 medicines and 300 surgicals by 2024.
The government said the total allocation for Swachh Bharat Mission is about Rs 12,300 crore in 2020-21.
Aiming to provide piped water supply to all households, the government has approved Rs 3.60 lakh crore for the Jal Jeevan Mission. During the year 2020-21, the scheme would be provided a budget of Rs 11,500 crore.
In order to provide quality education to students of deprived section of the society as well as those who do not have access to higher education, the government has proposed to start degree level full-fledged online education programme.
