Union Budget 2021-22: Key announcements for Rural Development

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Feb 12, 2021

8:41AM

Union Budget 2021-22: Key announcements for Rural Development

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In our series on Union Budget 2021-22, today we bring you key announcements for Rural Development this year. The government has proposed a sum of one lakh 33 thousand six hundred 89 crore rupees for the Rural Development Ministry in the Union Budget 2021-2022.

In her Budget Speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman proposed to extend Swamitva scheme to cover all States and UTs during Financial Year 2021-22.AIR correspondent reports, in the Budget, the Government has enhanced the allocation to the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund from 30 thousand crore rupees to 40 thousand crore rupees. The Centre has allocated 73 thousand crore rupees to the rural employment guarantee programme MGNREGA for the next fiscal 2021-22.

Major flagship welfare schemes under the Rural Development Ministry, the allocation for the 2021-22 fiscal increased from the revised estimate for the current 2020-21 fiscal.The allocation for the rural roads scheme, Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana increased to 15 thousand crore rupees from 13 thousand 700 crore rupees, whereas the funds allocated to the National Rural Livelihood Mission jumped by more than 48 per cent to 13 thousand six hundred 77 crore rupees.

As the rural economy is experiencing a slowdown, the government has focussed on diversified livelihood opportunities such as horticulture, poultry and fisheries. The Finance Minister proposed a village storage scheme which will be run by Self-Help Groups and it will provide villagers with better storage capacities.The scheme will allow women SHGs to regain their position as 'Dhan Lakshmi' and they can avail Mudra loans for opening storage facilities. A whopping 50 thousand crore rupees has been earmarked for the Jal Jeevan Mission which aims to provide tap water connections to rural households by 2024. Introduction of Sagar Mitras is a positive step towards upskilling rural youth to contribute to local sustainable livelihood generation.A new Centrally sponsored scheme, Pradhan Mantri Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana, will support for 17,788 rural Health and Wellness Centres.