Union Budget 2023-24: FM announces 15,000 cr development fund for tribal, marginalised section

New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday that the centre will be allocating Rs 15,000 crore to improve the socio-economic condition of particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups of India.

FM said, “In the next three years, the Centre will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff for the 740 Eklavya Model Residential schools, serving 3.5 lakh tribal students.”

“A PMPBTG development mission will be launched to saturate PBGT habitations with basic facilities in order to improve the social-economic condition of particularly tribal groups.”Safe housing, clean water, roads, and telecom connectivity will be provided.

She further added in her budget speech, “A mission to eliminate Sickle Cell Anaemia by 2047 will be launched, it will entail awareness creation, universal screening of 7 crore people in the age group of 0-40 years in affected tribal areas, and counselling through the collaborative efforts of central ministries and state governments.”

The special focus on tribals is that the government wants to capitalise it ahead of polls in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Odisha and Jharkhand.

The Indian economy, the FM said, is on a “right track and heading towards a bright future” and the current focus is on reforms as sound policies resulting in public participation have helped in increasing the country’s global profile.

“Our focus on reforms and sound policies resulting in Jan Bhagidari helped us in trying times, our rising global profile is due to several accomplishments,” she said.

Sitharaman further said that the entire expenditure of about Rs 2 lakh crore under the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana is being borne by the Central government, for supplying free foodgrains for a year to all Antyodaya and priority households.

She said that the Indian economy has increased in size from being the 10th to the fifth largest in the world in the last nine years.

“We have made significant progress in many SDGs, the economy has become a lot more formalized, efficient implementation of schemes has brought about inclusive development, the minister Sitharaman said.

Economic agenda focuses on facilitating opportunities for citizens, providing strong impetus to growth and job creation, and strengthening macroeconomic stability, she added.

Sitharaman went on to say that the seven priority areas of the Union Budget are inclusive development; reaching the last mile; infrastructure and investment; unleashing the potential; green growth; youth; and the financial sector

“Cooperative base model has been adopted to support the small and marginalised farmers and a national cooperative database is being prepared.”

(Inputs from IANS)