Highlights of the Union Budget 2018-19

Arun Jaitley presents the Budget for 2018-19 in Parliament . Following are the highlights .

• PM Jeevn Jyoti Bima Yojana to reach all poor households: Arun Jaitley
• 24 new govt medical colleges and hospitals to be set up by upgrading existing district hospitals
• Health insurance scheme to cover 500 million beneficiaries of 100 million families. FM Jaitley announces a cover of up to Rs 5 lakh per year
• For education sector, the government proposes revitalising infrastructure, opening schools for the ST populations as well as promoting programmes for teachers, in order to improve quality education for students: Arun Jaitley.
• Air Pollution in Delhi NCR is a cause for concern, special scheme will be implemented to support Govts of Haryana, Punjab, UP and Delhi NCT to address it and subsidize machinery for management of crop residue.
• Scheme for revitalizing school infrastructure, with an allocation of 1 lakh crore rupees over four years. Called RISE – Revitalising Infrastructure in School Education.
• Finance Minister says will set up PM Research Fellow Scheme; 1000 B-Tech students to be selected.
• Finance Minister says two new planning & architecture schools to be set up in IITs.
• Finance Minister says total investment of Rs 1 lakh cr for ‘RISE’.
• The government will launch a flagship National Health Protection Scheme, which will have 50 crore beneficiaries. The Centre will give up to Rs 5 lakh per family per year. This will include secondary and tertiary healthcare.
• Govt to focus on health, education & social protection. To use technology to improve education from ‘blackboard to digital board".
• Allocating natural resources in a more transparent manner, there is a premium on honesty now.
• Rs 14 lakh cr for enhancing rural livelihood.
• Hope to grow at 7.2 per cent-7.5 per cent in the second half of 2017-18.
• Finance Minister says propose to treat education holistically without segmentation.
• 80 million poor families to be given free gas connection under Ujjwala scheme.
• Finance Minister says allocate Rs 2,600 underground water irrigation plan in 96 districts.
• 500 mn beneficiaries of govt health care scheme.
• Rural infra and education get a massive push.
• Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says Rs 16,000 cr allocation for electricity connection to poor families.
• Eklavya schools to be started for Scheduled Tribe population.
• Rs 11 lakh cr for instant farm credit mooted next FY.
• Economy to grow by 7.2-7.5 per cent in second half of current fiscal, says FM.
• When our govt took over India was considered one of the fragile five economies of the world; we have reversed it; India is today fastest growing economy.
• Introduction of GST has made indirect tax system simpler.
• India is today a $2.5 trillion economy and will become fifth largest economy in the world from the present seventh largest.
• Budget will focus on strengthening agricultural and rural economy: FM Jaitley.
• PM has articulated the vision of minimum government, maximum governance: Jaitley.
• We are firmly on path to achieve 8% growth.
• Govt focusing on ease of living now.
• Cooking gas being given free to poor under PMUY, 4 cr unconnected being provided electricity connection, stent prices slashed: FM.
• Direct Benefit Transfer is a global success story.
• Emphasis on generating higher income for farmers; want to help farmers produce more and realise higher prices.