By Firstdespatch Desk Jul 28, 2024
Agartala, July 28 (FD) Union Minister for Tribal Affairs, Shri Jual Oram, announced a 73% increase in budgetary allocation for tribal welfare schemes, during a press conference in Agartala. Highlighting the Union Budget 2024-25 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Oram stated that Rs. 13,000 crore has been earmarked for the implementation of various tribal welfare programs across India.
The budget allocates Rs. 6,399 crore for constructing Eklavya Model Residential Schools, targeting the establishment of 728 schools to provide free education to tribal students from classes 6-12. Emphasizing development, the budget focuses on the welfare of the poor, women empowerment, youth skilling, and doubling farmers' income.
A 'Prime Minister's Package' of five schemes, with a central outlay of Rs. 2 lakh crore, aims to provide employment and skilling opportunities for 4.1 crore youth over five years. The Uttar Purva Transformative Industrialization Scheme-2024, with a budget of Rs. 10,037 crore, will drive industrial development and employment generation in the Northeast.
For Tripura, 14 projects under the Northeast Special Infrastructure Development Scheme, worth Rs. 458 crore, have been approved. The budget also allocates over Rs. 3 lakh crore to schemes benefiting women and girls, promoting women-led development.
The New Credit Guarantee Scheme for MSMEs will facilitate term loans for machinery and equipment purchases without collateral. The PM MUDRA Yojana’s 'Tarun' category loan limit will be increased to Rs. 20 lakh, expanding employment avenues.
With a provision of ₹1.52 lakh crore for agriculture, the budget supports one crore farmers in natural farming, establishing 10,000 bio-input resource centers. The Pradhan Mantri Janjati Unnat Gram Abhiyan Scheme will cover 63,000 villages, enhancing infrastructure like road connectivity, power supply, and medical facilities.
The Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, with a budgetary provision of Rs. 2.6 lakh crore, will improve road connectivity for 25,000 rural habitations. Looking ahead to 2047, the budget envisions a roadmap for the centenary of India's independence, focusing on comprehensive rural development.
The Northeast region's railway infrastructure receives a record allocation of Rs. 10,376 crore, five times the average annual budget outlay during 2009-14. FD SB