Looking Back – Union Budget 2017
February 1, 2018
Union Budget 2017 was a watershed moment in the history of India. The Government ended the 92-year-old practice of presenting a separate railway budget and the announcement of the budget was advanced by a month to February 1, setting a new precedent.
The Budget focussed on 10 thematic areas – Agriculture, Finance, Rural India, Youth, Poor, Infrastructure, Digital economy, Public service, Prudent fiscal management and Tax administration. It gave us a holistic view of the optimal allocation of resources for the various sectors. Additionally, the Government also laid down several proposals and targets were set for timely execution. The Government led by PM Narendra Modi is one which chooses to act on these proposals and makes sure that promises made are promises fulfilled.
| Budget Proposal | Execution Status |
| 585 mandis under APMC to be connected to eNAM
|
470 mandis have been connected. Remaining 115 will be connected by March 2018 |
| A dedicated Micro Irrigation Fund will be set up in NABARD to achieve the goal, ‘per drop more crop’ | Dedicated micro-irrigation fund with an initial corpus of Rs.5000 crore has been set up by NABARD |
| A Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund would be set up
|
Cabinet approved Dairy Processing & Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) with an outlay of Rs 10,881 crore during the period from 2017-18 to 2028-29 |
| Complete the target under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana(PMGSY) by 2019
|
1,30,974 habitations connected under PMGSY and another 14,620 habitations connected through State Government Programmes, bringing the total habitations connected to 82%. 100% connectivity of eligible habitations will be achieved by March, 2019 |
| Complete 1 crore houses by 2019 for the houseless and those living in kutcha houses
|
More than 93 lakh houses constructed in rural and urban areas. At this pace, it is likely that the target of 1 crore houses by 2019 will be achieved |
| 100% village electrification by 1st May 2018 | 99.7% villages have been electrified till now |
| Leverage information technology and launch SWAYAM platform with at least 350 online courses | SWAYAM platform developed indigenously. Courses delivered through SWAYAM are available free of cost. About 750 courses are listed on SWAYAM and about 6 Lakh students have registered for various courses |
| Establish a National Testing Agency (NTA) as an autonomous and self-sustained premier testing organisation to conduct all entrance examinations for higher education institutions | Cabinet approved creation of NTA to conduct entrance examinations for higher educational institutions |
| Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKK) promoted in more than 60 districts. Extend these Kendras to more than 600 districts across the country | 527 Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Kendras (PMKKs) have been allocated across states covering 484 Districts |
| Skill Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion programme (SANKALP) to provide market relevant training to 3.5 crore youth | Cabinet approved SANKALP & STRIVE Schemes to boost Skill India Mission. SANKALP is a Rs 4,455 crore centrally sponsored scheme including Rs. 3,300 crore loan support from the World Bank |
| Mahila Shakti Kendras will be set up at village level
|
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved a scheme, ‘Pradhan Mantri Mahila Shakti Kendra’, aimed at empowering rural women through community participation |
| Create additional 5,000 Post Graduate seats per annum to ensure adequate availability of specialist doctors to strengthen Secondary and Tertiary levels of health care | 7,000 post graduate seats and 13,000 MBBS seats approved
|
| Introduce ‘Coach Mitra’ facility, a single window interface, to register all coach related complaints and requirements | New Integrated Mobile App- “Rail Saarthi” launched. Coach Mitra app available in the new integrated app |
| By 2019, all coaches of Indian Railways will be fitted with bio toilets.
|
55% of the total passenger carrying coaches under Indian Railways have been installed with bio-toilets |
| Abolish the FIPB in 2017-18. Further liberalisation of FDI policy
|
FIPB abolished, FDI liberalised in various sectors such as Single Brand Retail Trading and Civil Aviation |
| Utilise the Head Post Offices as front offices for rendering passport services | 60 Post Office Passport Seva Kendras established |
