By IANS,
New Delhi : In keeping with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s “inclusive growth” mantra, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday announced a slew of schemes for the aam aadmi (common man).
The major measures announced in his union budget for 2009-10 are:
– Allocation towards National Rural Employment Guarantee Act increased by Rs.39,100 crore
– Agriculture debt waiver extended by six months
– Outlay for national rural health mission increased by Rs.2,057 crore from the Rs.12,070 crore provided in the interim budget
– Allocation for Bharat Nirman scheme increased by 45 percent
– Rs.20,000 crore for rural housing
– Rural electrification scheme to get Rs.7,000 crore more
– Agriculture development fund increased from Rs.2.87 lakh crore to Rs.3.25 lakh crore
– Allocation for urban poor schemes to be raised to Rs.39,730 crore
– LNG infrastructure to be expanded
– National Housing Bank to get Rs.2,000 crore for rural housing funds
– Higher education outlay increased by Rs.2,000 crore over interim budget
– Income tax exemption limit for senior citizens increased by Rs.15,000, for women and others by 10,000 each
– Duties on life saving drugs reduced
– Allocation for the minority affairs ministry raised to Rs.1,740 crore
– Banking services in under-banked areas to be increased, scheme allocated Rs.100 crore
– Rs.1,000 crore to accelerate irrigation projects
– Allocation for Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission raised by 87 percent to Rs.12,887 crore