While delivering her Union Budget 2022 speech in the Parliament today, on February 2, Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that drones will soon be used for crop assessment, digitisation of land records and spraying of fertilisers.

Prior to the commencement of the Budget session, a cabinet meeting was held to approve the Budget. Union Cabinet meeting was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, among other senior Cabinet colleagues.

Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary, while sharing his views about the upcoming Budget, told the press outside the Parliament: “The Finance Minister will present an inclusive Budget in line with each and every sectors’ needs. It will be benefiting everyone…all sectors (including farmers).”

Also Read: Union Budget 2022-23: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman leaves for Parliament, budget speech at 11 am — WATCH here

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* Sitharaman begins her Budget speech. She mentions that India is the fastest growing ‘major economy’ with a growth rate of 9.27 per cent.

* “We are in the middle of the Omicron wave, but the speed of our vaccination campaign has helped greatly. I am confident that via ‘Sabka Prayaas’, we’ll continue with strong growth,” says Sitharaman.

* Chemical free, organic farming will be promoted across the country starting from the northern plains along the river Ganga in the first phase.

* Sitharaman talks about plans to introduce drones for farmers.

* The pandemic has accentuated mental health problems in people of all ages. To better the access to quality mental health counselling, a national tele-mental health programme will be launched. This will include a network of 23 tele mental health centres of excellence.

* Digital universities to be introduced, PM e-Vidya to be expanded from 12 to 200 television channels for the children in rural areas who are suffering impediments in learning due to closure of schools due to COVID19.

Also Read: ‘What is our fault?’ — With schools shut and no internet access, rural students worry about the board exams

* Procurement of wheat in Rabi season 2021-22 and the estimated procurement of paddy in Kharif season 2021-22 will cover 1,208 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and paddy from 163 lakh farmers & Rs 2.37 lakh crores will be the direct payment of minimum support price (MSP) value to their accounts, says the finance minister.

* By 100th independence, 50 per cent of the population will be living in the urban centres. Need to reimagine our cities, urban planning cannot continue business as usual. Urban planning will be upgraded as per changing needs.

* Production Linked Incentive Scheme for achieving Aatmanirbhar Bharat has received an excellent response, with potential to create 60 lakh new jobs and additional production of 30 lakh crore during the next five years: Sitharaman

* In her Budget 2022 speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made a mention of the Ken-Betwa linking project and said this project to link Ken river with Betwa river would be taken up in financial year 2022-23. “The Ken-Betwa link project will irritate 9 lakh hectares of land and provide drinking water to 62 lakh people. It will also generate 103 MW hydro and 27 MW solar power,” said Sitharaman.