Social sector schemes: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman declared on Thursday that the Narendra Modi administration will “do everything” to improve the economic standing of the underprivileged, farmers, women, and young people ahead of the interim budget on February 1.
Speaking to the students of Hindu College here on the occasion of its 125th anniversary, she stated that the government is almost at saturation point when it comes to implementing social sector programs meant to give the impoverished access to basic necessities.
Prioritizing the “respect and empowerment of the poor and deprived,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated on multiple occasions that “the biggest four castes are poor, youth, women, and farmers.”
In the run-up to the general elections in April and May, a number of opposition political parties attempted to use the demand for a caste census as a political football.
Government programs to build homes, roads, etc. were in place even earlier, but Sitharaman observed that there was a lack of urgency. Fifty or sixty years after independence, she said, nearly half the population lacked basic necessities.
Then, prior to 1947, the conflict was over political independence. Currently, it’s self-reliance and economic independence, according to Sitharaman.
According to her, the government is empowering people by providing for their basic needs without making distinctions between groups based on caste or religion. Therefore, Sitharaman stated, “everything will be focused towards their (the four groups’) betterment.” Even while fiscal prudence is upheld, pro-poor policies will probably be prioritized in the interim budget.
The government could make significant improvements to the current programs by modifying them to include more beneficiaries or raise the benefits for particular demographic groups. Beneficiaries of the PM Awas Yojana-Gramin could receive up to Rs 2.4 lakh in additional financial aid, up from Rs 1.3 lakh per unit. Similar to how the PMAY-Urban program ends in March of this year, the government may introduce a new five-year, Rs 60,000 crore interest subsidy program for urban housing.
In the budget estimate (BE) for 2024–25, it may, among other things, set aside about Rs 90,000 crore for the flagship Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), an increase of 50% over the BE for 2023–24 and a clear message to the impoverished ahead of general elections.
Voting should be our duty rather than just a right because the nation needs a democracy in which duty is valued as a virtue. As she addressed the students, “Make sure you’re selecting the right person to turn India into a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.”
The minister stated that in addition to providing financial support, the government is also enhancing the status of the four groups by facilitating access to technology and skill development. According to her, the government is pushing for the implementation of all possible programs to provide the impoverished with pucca houses, piped water, electricity, and road access.
