Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has outlined the focus areas to anchor its policy frame work for 2009-10.

While presenting the Budget proposal for the year 2009-10, in Lok Sabha on Monday, he pointed out the policies that would have to pay attention to in the medium term. These are:

• (a) sustain a growth rate of at least 9 percent per annum over an extended period of time;
• (b) strengthen the mechanisms for inclusive growth for creating about 12 million new work opportunities per year;
• (c) reduce the proportion of people living below poverty line to less than half from current levels by 2014;
• (d) ensure that Indian agriculture continues to grow at an annual rate of 4 per cent;
• (e) increase the investment in infrastructure to more than 9 per cent of GDP by 2014;
• (f) support Indian industry to met the challenge of global competition and sustain the growth momentum in exports;
• (g) strengthen and improve the economic regulatory frame work in the country;
• (h) expand the range and reach of social safety nets by providing direct assistance to vulnerable sections;
• (i) strengthen the delivery mechanism for primary health care facilities with a view to improve the preventive and curative health care in the country.
• (j) create a competitive progressive and well regulated education system of global standards that meets the aspiration of all segments of the society; and
• (k) move towards providing energy security by pursuing an Integrated Energy Policy. -- PIB