New Social Welfare Schemes in the Annual Budget 2014-15.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley submitted his maiden budget for the financial year 2014-15. Some new
social development schemes to address the critical issues of the country have been introduced.
1. Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
The FM announced this programme in the Budget as a measure to mitigate the risk of monsoon
dependent irrigation. The scheme is aimed to give assured irrigation to farmers. The FM
proposed to set aside a sum of 1000 crore for this purpose.
2. Swatchh Bharat Abhiyan
Total sanitation by 2019, is the slogan of this programme. Realizing the importance of the
sanitation the FM has sought the help of every citizen to achieve this goal. The year 2019 also
marks the 150th Birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
3. Soil Health Card Scheme for Every farmer
The government has initiated this scheme concerning the deteriorating the soil health which
leads to sub-optimal utilization of farming resources. The government will initiate to provide
every farmer a soil health card a in a mission mode. A sum of Rs. 100 crore is allotted. An
additional Rs. 56 crores have been allocated to set up 100 mobile soil testing laboratories
across the country.
4. A Dedicated TV Channel for Farmers
Kisan TV, dedicated to the interests of the agriculture and allied sector will be launched in the
current financial year. This will disseminate real time information to the farmers regarding
new farming techniques, water conservation, organic and farming etc.,
5. Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana
Deendayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana for feeder separation will be launched to augment
power supply to the rural areas and for strengthening sub-transmission and distribution
systems. Its long-term aim is to provide 247 uninterrupted power supply to all homes. A sum
of Rs. 500 crores has been set aside for this scheme.
6. Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana
For the welfare of the tribal people Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana is being launched with an
initial allocation of Rs. 100 crore.
7. Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana
Government has introduced a new scheme called Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao, which will help in
generating awareness and improving the efficiency of delivery of welfare services meant for
women with an initial corpus of Rs 100 crore. The government would focus on campaigns to
sensitize people of this country towards the concerns of the girl child and women. The process
of sensitization must begin early and therefore the school curriculum must have a separate
chapter on gender mainstreaming.
8. National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana
The programme called Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana (HRIDAY) is to
be launched for conserving and preserving the heritage characters of these cities. For the
beginning programme is launched in the cities such as Mathura, Amritsar, Gaya, Kanchipuram,
Vellankani and Ajmer. A sum of Rs. 200 crores is set aside for this purpose. The Project will
work through a partnership of Government, academic institutions and local community
combining affordable technologies.
9. Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission
Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission will be launched to deliver integrated project based
infrastructure in the rural areas. The scheme will also include development of economic
activities and skill development. The preferred mode of delivery would be through PPPs while
using various scheme funds. It is based on the example of Gujarat that has demonstrated
successfully the Rurban development model of urbanization of the rural areas, through which
people living in the rural areas can get efficient civic infrastructure and associate services.
10. Minorities
A programme for the upgradation of skills and training in ancestral arts for development for
the minorities called Upgradation of Traditional Skills in Arts, Resources and Goods is to be
launched to preserve the traditional arts and crafts, which are rich heritage.
An additional amount of ` 100 crores for Modernization of Madarsas has been in the Budget
provided to the Department of School Education.
11. Neeranchal
To give an added impetus to watershed development in the country, a new programme called
Neeranchal with an initial outlay of ` 2,142 crores in the current financial year. Pashmina
Promotion Programme (P-3) and a programme for the development of other crafts of Jammu &
Kashmir is also to be started. For this a sum of Rs. 50 crores is set aside.
12. Financial Inclusion Mission
To provide all households in the country with banking services, a time bound programme is to
be launched as Financial Inclusion Mission on 15 August in 2014. It would particularly focus
to empower the weaker sections of the society, including women, small and marginal farmers
and labourers. Two bank accounts in each household are proposed to be opened which will be
eligible for credit.
13. Housing for All by 2022
Government has proposed to set up a Mission on Low Cost Affordable Housing to be anchored
in the National Housing Bank with a view to increase the flow of cheaper credit for affordable
housing to the urban poor/EWS/LIG segment. The government has already outlined some
other incentives such as easier flow of FDI in this sector and is willing to examine other
positive suggestions. The government has included slum development in the list of Corporate
Social Responsibility (CSR) activities to encourage the private sector to contribute more
towards this activity.
