Govt will invest widely in agri infrastructure: Sitharaman

Sitharaman said the government also proposes Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana to address critical infrastructure gap in fisheries sector.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh/Rediff.com

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the government will invest widely in agriculture infrastructure and support private entrepreneurship for value addition in farm sector.

Presenting the Union Budget for 2019-20, Sitharaman said the government proposes Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana to address critical infrastructure gap in fisheries sector.

As much as 1,25,000 km of roads will be upgraded under Pradhan Gram Sadak Yojana under Phase III at estimated cost of Rs 80,250 crore, the finance minister added.

In the first Budget of the Modi government in its second term, she also said that 30,000 km roads were constructed under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna using green material, including plastic waste.

All weather road connectivity was provided to 97 per cent of habitation, she added.

The government also proposes to build 1.95 crore houses under Pradhan Mantari Awas Yojna (Rural), Sitharaman said, adding 100 new clusters will be set up in 2019-20 to enable 50,000 artisans to come into economic value chain.

Stressing that the government keeps villages, poor and farmers at centre stage in every programme, she said every single rural family, except those unwilling to take connection, will have electricity and LPG connection by 2022.

Free LPG scheme and electricity connection have transformed rural India, Sitharaman said.

She also said that time taken to complete construction of houses under PMAY cut to 114 days from 314 days in 2015-16, due to use of DBT platform technology.

Blueprint for national gas grid, water grid will be unveiled

Sitharaman said a blueprint for a national gas grid, water grid, information-ways and airports will be unveiled.

Presenting the first Budget of the Modi government in its second term, Sitharaman also said a package for power sector and structural reforms will be unveiled soon.

The finance minister said cargo movement in Ganga will increase four times in four years.

Schemes such as Bharatmala, Sagarmala and UDAN are bridging rural-urban divide and improving transport infrastructure, she said adding that in the second phase of Bharatmala project, states will be helped to develop roadways.

The finance minister also said the government will create a payment platform for MSMEs for payment of bills.

Safe drinking water for every citizen priority of govt: FM

The finance minister said making available safe drinking water to every citizen is a priority for the government which is working towards 'Har Ghar Jal' by 2024.

Presenting the first Budget of the Modi government in its second term, Sitharaman said the government also proposes to expand Swachh Bharat to include solid waste management in every village.

The finance minister said as much as 95 per cent of all cities have become open defecation free and 9.6 crore toilets have been constructed since October 2014.

The government is on track to achieve Swachh Bharat Mission by October this year.

Sitharaman also said that 10,000 new farmer producer organisations will be set up.

The government sees rapid urbanisation as an opportunity rather than a challenge, she said.

To harness India's space ability commercially, New Space India Limited (NSIL) has been incorporated to tap the benefits of ISRO, she said.

• Union Budget 2019