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In 15 stories, Union Budget 2020-21 summarised for you
Here’s a round-up of Hindustan Times coverage of the Union Budget 2020-21 summarised in 15 stories curated for you.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday presented Union Budget in a 160-minute long speech, the longest so far in the country’s history. The budget saw introduction of new tax regime, measures for doubling income in agriculture sector, more trains in the railway sector amid slew of measures for boosting the Indian economy. Here’s a round-up of Hindustan Times coverage of the Union Budget 2020-21 summarised in 15 stories.
Budget 2020: Nirmala Sitharaman spells out Budget theme in 3 big points
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday listed the three themes of the Union Budget 2020 while presenting the financial statement of the government in Parliament.
“My Budget 2020 is woven around three themes—aspirational India to boost the standard of living, economic development for all, and building a humane and compassionate society,” Nirmala Sitharaman said in her speech.
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In Budget 2020-21, PM Modi’s Swachh Bharat scheme gets 28% hike in allocation
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet cleanliness scheme, Swachh Bharat Mission, has been given a 28% hike in funds as the government wants to shift from building toilets to better waste management.
The Swachh Bharat Mission was allotted Rs 9,638 crore in the revised estimate in FY2019-20.
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In Budget 2020-21, health sector allocations witness 8% jump
With about Rs 69,000 crore allocated to the health sector, there has been an increase of about 8% in the health budget as compared to the previous year, in this year’s Budget.
Even though the Modi government’s flagship health insurance scheme- Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) didn’t see any budgetary increase this year, it still gets about Rs 6,400 crore of the total amount assigned to the health sector.
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Budget 2020 Highlights for Students: Online courses by 100 top colleges, FDI, NEP and more
Top 100 educational institutions will start providing full-fledged degree courses online while the doors for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) were also opened as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman made these announcements in the Union budget on Saturday.
India will also start conducting an Ind-SAT test to screen Asian and African students who will become eligible for scholarships.
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Railway Budget 2020: Kisan Rail, Tejas-type trains among Nirmala Sitharaman’s focus
In her Budget 2020 speech, Nirmala Sitharamam said the Indian Railways will set up a “Kisan Rail” through public private partnership (PPP) with refrigerated coaches for transportation of perishable goods to assist farmers.
“To build a seamless national cold supply chain for perishables, inclusive of milk, meat and fish, the Indian Railways will set up a “Kisan Rail” – through PPP arrangements. There shall be refrigerated coaches in express and freight trains as well,” Sitharaman said.
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Union Budget 2020: Centre slashes MGNREGS fund by Rs 9,000 crore
The government has slashed funds for India’s flagship rural job guarantee programme, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), by Rs 9,500 crore when rural economy has been feeling the heat over stagnant wages and high food inflation.
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Union Budget 2020: What got cheaper and what got costlier
You will have to pay more for several items, including imported medical equipment, cigarettes and tobacco products among others after finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced a raise in tax in the Union Budget 2020. Here’s a look at the things you will have to pay more and those whose prices will drop.
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Meagre hike in defence budget could hit modernisation plans
India on Saturday set aside Rs 3.37 lakh crore for military spending in its budget for 2020-21, an increase of barely 6% over last year’s budget estimates of Rs 3.18 lakh crore.
This year’s budget (minus defence pensions) includes Rs 1.13 lakh crore under the capital head for modernization, which is only Rs 10,340 crore more than the allocation in last year’s budget estimates. Lack of adequate funds could hit the military’s modernization programmes, experts said.
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Budget 2020: Nirmala Sitharaman allocates Rs 4400 cr for clean air
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharama in her Budget speech on Saturday read out a riot act to polluting power plants warning them that they would be shut down if they exceed pollution norms and announced a huge allocation for states to fight toxic air.
“Clean air is a matter of concern in large cities. I propose to encourage states to formulate and implement plans to ensure clean air. Allocation for this purpose is Rs 4,400 crores,” she said
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Budget 2020: Nirmala Sitharaman hails GST, says average household saves 4% per month
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said the average household now saves 4 per cent in monthly expense after the Goods and Sales Tax (GST) was rolled out.
“GST is a historic structural reform which integrated the country economically… The average household now saves 4 per cent in monthly expense after the rollout of GST. It resulted in Rs 1 lakh crore gains to consumers, removed inspector raj and helped transport sector,” she said in her Budget speech.
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Union Budget 2020 strengthens minimum government, maximum governance: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hailed the Budget presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, calling it visionary.
“I congratulate Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and her team for presenting the first Budget of the decade that has vision as well as action,” PM Modi said.
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Budget 2020: Govt tweaks Income Tax Act for non-resident Indians
The government on Saturday announced changes in the Income Tax Act to define a non-resident Indian for tax purposes.
“We’ve made changes in Income Tax Act where if an Indian citizen stays out of country for more than 182 days, he becomes non-resident. So we’ve made some changes, now in order to become non-resident he has to stay out of country for 240 days,” Revenue Secretary Ajay Bhushan Pandey said at a customary post-Budget press conference of the Union finance minister.
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Union Budget 2020: Rs 30,757 crore for Jammu and Kashmir, Rs 5,958 crore for Ladakh
Presenting the Union Budget for the financial year 2020-21, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday announced an allocation of Rs 30,757 crore for Jammu and Kashmir, and Rs 5,958 crore for Ladakh.
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‘Between 1 and 0’: Chidambaram rates Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget
Congress leader P Chidambaram trashed the Budget presented by Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday. When asked to rate the Budget on a scale of 1 to 10, Chidamabarm said, “Choose any number between 1 and 0... 10 has got a one and a zero, you can pick either and I’m okay.”
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‘Repetitive, rambling and hollow’: Rahul Gandhi describes Union Budget 2020
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Budget was “repetitive, rambling and hollow”, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday said as he hit out at the government for not addressing issues facing the sagging economy.
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