Garib – Weaving a social blanket
To take along all into the period of high growth, this budget has stressed on the need for all-round, all-pervasive and all-inclusive growth. In the last ten years, around 25 crore people have come out of multi-dimensional poverty. Schemes like MGNREGA, direct benefit transfer (DBT) and banking and insurance facility focused at the poor have brought them under a social security cover. The budget highlighted that the DBT of Rs 34 lakh crore using PM-Jan Dhan accounts led to savings of Rs 2.7 lakh crore for the government. Social justice has been a strong word used in the FM’s speech. Primary aspects of social justice are access to quality health, education and housing.
Focus on malnutrition
The food subsidy program, which provided additional free food grains during the pandemic, concluded in December 2022, resulting in a decrease of 3.3 per cent in the subsidy to approximately Rs 2.05 lakh crore for the fiscal year 2024-25 compared to the previous year. In order to compensate for this reduction, there is now a heightened emphasis on addressing malnutrition. An allocation of Rs 12,467 crore has been made for the PM POSHAN initiative, ensuring the provision of one hot meal to all children in government and aided schools. Additionally, the National Health Mission has received Rs 38,183 crore, the Jal Jeevan Mission for rural drinking water has been allocated Rs 70,163 crore and the National Livelihood Mission, focusing on promoting self-employment in villages, has received Rs 15,047 crore.
Prioritising the welfare of the underprivileged, the Ayushman Bharat scheme is set to expand healthcare coverage to include all ASHA workers, as well as Anganwadi workers and helpers.
A roof above
This budget is committed to constructing an additional two crore houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Grameen in the next five years. An allocation of Rs 80,671 crore has been assigned for this purpose, marking a 49.1 per cent increase compared to the 2023-24 RE, and closely resembling the budget estimates for the same period. Notably, the scheme mandates that the female head of the family must be the owner or co-owner of the house, ensuring active women participation in the economy.
Urban poor need to be addressed
The predominant focus has been to address the needs of the rural poor. Schemes such as PM-SVANidhi, which extends credit assistance to street vendors, and the recent announcement regarding housing assistance for segments of the middle-class in rented dwellings, slums and unauthorised colonies, aim to meet the requirements of the urban poor. But these are limited in scope. As urbanisation continues to surge, a growing number of individuals are expected to migrate to cities. Encouraging them to remain in their hometown is an optimal solution, yet there is a pressing need to enhance the well-being of those who have already made the move. The urban poor are gradually finding themselves displaced farther towards the outskirts of cities, leading to adverse effects on their livelihoods. A targeted and strategic approach is imperative to settle them in a manner that ensures a dignified life, contributing to the establishment of a more balanced and equitable society.
Education needs further fillip
An educated society will serve as the foundation for a developed India. This fundamental sector, has long been in need of attention, grappling with challenges related to both access and affordability. The budget has taken steps to address issues such as skilling, the establishment of new educational institutions,… The budget for PM SHRI, a scheme which seeks to upgrade existing government schools to model schools, has risen from Rs 2800 crore in 2023-24 RE to Rs 6050 crore in 2024-25. Department of school education has received the highest ever allocation of Rs 73,008.10 crore. The National Education Policy 2020 recommended a 6 per cent allocation of the GDP to the education sector, equivalent to Rs 1,966,309 crore, but the current budget has allocated only Rs 124,638 crore. It clearly indicates that more needs to be done.
Affordable transportation…
The railway system plays a crucial role in facilitating the economic movement of both people and goods. However, over the past year, its safety record has raised concerns, marked by numerous large-scale accidents resulting in significant loss of lives. To address these issues and improve infrastructure, three major economic railway corridor programmes have been announced: energy, mineral, and cement corridors; port connectivity corridors; and high-traffic density corridors. Additionally, there are plans to upgrade 40,000 normal rail bogies to meet Vande Bharat standards, aiming to enhance safety, convenience and comfort for passengers. This initiative is expected to reduce logistic costs and further improve safety measures.
