Union Budget 2023-24: Big Announcements

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made several announcements in the Union Budget 2023-2024 on Wednesday.
Some highlights of the Budget:
* Railways get Rs 2.4 lakh crore, which is the highest ever allocation to it
* Agricultural credit target increased to Rs 20 lakh crore
* Mobility Infra — 50 additional airports, heliports
* 50 destinations to be selected through challenge mode for tourism
* Mahila Samman Savings Certificate will be made available for two years, with deposits of up to Rs 2 lakh at 7.5 per cent interest
* Senior Citizens’ Savings Scheme deposit limit raised to Rs 30 lakh from Rs 15 lakh
* Income tax rebate limit increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh under the new tax regime
* Allocation for PM Awas Yojna increased by 66 per cent to over Rs 79,000 crore
* Capital investment outlay to be raised by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, which will be 3.3 per cent of GDP in fiscal 2024
* Effective capital expenditure of centre to be – Rs 13.7 lakh crore
* 157 new nursing colleges in major locations
* Mission to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047
* Tribals to get Rs 15,000 crore over the next three years for safe housing, sanitation, drinking water, and electricity.
* Manhole to machine-hole mode — All cities and towns will be enabled for 100 per cent transition of sewers and septic tanks.
* Eklavya Model Residential Schools – 38,800 teachers will be hired.
* Goal ‘Make AI in India’, ‘Make AI Work For India’ — three centres for excellence for AI will be set up in top educational institutes.
* Rs 2,516 crore for the Computerisation of 63,000 credit societies.
* 100 labs to develop apps using 5g services to be set up in engineering institutions.
* Rs 35,000 crore for the energy transition to net-zero emission goals.
* Green Hydrogen Mission for reduced dependence on fossil fuel.
* Battery energy storage systems of 4000 MWh will be supported.
* 39,000 compliances reduced for ease of doing business.
* 30 Skill India international centres to be set up.
* Natural Farming – one crore farmers will get assistance.
(IANS)