OREANDA-NEWS. The Government has decided to take up a number of schemes and projects for the development and welfare of people. Major new schemes / projects announced in the Union Budget 2014-15 include:

·   Development of one hundred “Smart Cities”, an allocation of Rs. 7,060 crore provided in 2014-15.

·  “Skill India” programme with  emphasis on employability, entrepreneur skills, training and support for professions like welders, carpenters, cobblers, masons, blacksmiths, weavers, etc.

·  “Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana”, a sum of Rs. 1,000 crore has been allocated for this purpose in 2014-15.

 ·  . “Swatchh Bharat Abhiyan”. Subsequently, it was launched on October 2, 2014.

·  “Shyama Prasad Mukherji Rurban Mission” to deliver integrated project based infrastructure in the rural areas, including development of economic activities and skill development. An allocation of Rs. 90 crore has been made in 2014-15.

·  “Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana” for electricity feeder separation and strengthening sub-transmission and distribution systems in rural areas. A sum of Rs. 500 crore has been allocated for the scheme in 2014-15.

·  Revival of “Varishtha Pension Bima Yojana” from 15 August 2014 to 14 August 2015 for the benefit of senior citizens.

·  Scheme on “Safety for Women on Public Road Transport”. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has been allocated Rs. 50 crore for pilot testing the scheme.

·  Scheme on “Safety of women in large cities”.  The Ministry of Home Affairs has been allocated Rs. 150 crore in 2014-15 for this purpose. Setting up “Crisis Management Centres” in all the districts of NCT of Delhi during 2014-15 at all government and private hospitals with funding from the Nirbhaya Fund.

·  “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao Yojana” a focused scheme for generating awareness and improving the efficiency of delivery of welfare services meant for women. An allocation of Rs. 100 crore has been made for this scheme.

·  Programme “Neeranchal” to provide impetus to watershed development. An allocation of Rs. 2,142 crore made in 2014-15.

·  “Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya New Teachers Training Programme” with an initial allocation of Rs. 500 crore in 2014-15.

·  “Digital India” programme for ensuring Broad band connectivity at village level, improved access to services through IT enabled platforms, greater transparency in Government processes and increased indigenous production of IT hardware and software for exports and improved domestic availability. Special focus under the programme would be on supporting software product start-ups. A provision of Rs. 500 crore has been made in 2014-15 for digital India programme.

·   “National Rural Internet and Technology Mission” for services in villages and schools, training in IT skills and E-Kranti for government service delivery. An allocation of Rs. 500 crore has been made in 2014-15 for this purpose.

·  “Good Governance” programmes with an allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15.

·  Plan scheme to support 600 new and existing Community Radio Stations with an allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15.

·  Initiating development of metro rail projects in Lucknow and Ahmedabad.             An initial allocation of Rs. 100 crore made in 2014-15.

·  Allocation of Rs. 4,000 crore made in 2014-15 for National Housing Bank to increase flow of cheaper credit for affordable housing to the urban poor/ Economically Weaker Sections/Low Income Group segment. 

·  “Up gradation of Traditional Skills in Arts, Resources and Goods” programme for development of minorities to preserve the traditional arts and crafts.

·  “Blue Revolution” for increasing fish production with an allocation of Rs. 50 crore in 2014-15.

·  Creation of “Price Stabilisation Fund” with a corpus of Rs. 500 crore to mitigate uncertainties and hardships arising out of price volatility in agriculture produce.

·  Setting up of “Agri-Tech Infrastructure Fund” with a corpus of Rs. 100 crore.

·  Development of “Indigenous Cattle Breed” with an allocation of Rs. 50 crore in 2014-15.

·  New Agriculture Universities in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan and Horticulture Universities in Haryana and Telangana with an initial allocation of Rs. 200 crore in 2014-15.

·  “National Adaptation Fund” for climate change with an allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15.

·  Setting up “Indian Agriculture Research Institute” (IARI) like institutes in Assam and Jharkhand with an initial allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15.

·  “Soil Health Card” scheme to check deteriorating soil health and setting up 100 “Mobile Soil Testing Laboratories” with allocations of Rs. 100 crore and Rs. 56 crore respectively in 2014-15.

·  Setting up “Long Term Rural Credit Fund” in National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) for providing refinance support to Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks with an initial corpus of  Rs. 5,000 crore.

·  Launching of “Kisan TV”, to disseminate real time information to the farmers regarding new farming techniques, water conservation, organic farming etc., with an allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15.

·  Setting up “National Industrial Corridor Authority” at Pune to coordinate the development of the industrial corridors, with smart cities linked to transport connectivity, drive India’s growth in manufacturing and urbanization with an initial allocation Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15.

·  Setting up a Rs. 10,000 crore “Venture Capital” fund to create a conducive eco-system in the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector for attracting private capital by way of providing equity, quasi equity, soft loans and other risk capital for start-up companies.

·  Establishing “Technology Centre Network” fund to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and agro-industry with a corpus of Rs. 200 crore.

·  Setting up a “Trade Facilitation Centre” and a “Crafts Museum” with an outlay of Rs. 50 crore in 2014-15 to develop and promote handloom products and carry forward the rich tradition of handlooms of Varanasi.

·  Setting up  “Textile Mega-clusters” at Bareily, Lucknow, Surat, Kuttch, Bhagalpur, Mysore and one in Tamil Nadu with an allocation of Rs. 200 crore in 2014-15.

·  Setting up a “Hastkala Academy” in Delhi for the preservation, revival, and documentation of the handloom/handicraft sector with an allocation of Rs. 30 crore in 2014-15.

·  Starting up a “Pashmina Promotion Programme” and a programme for the development of other crafts of Jammu & Kashmir. A total sum of Rs.50 crore in 2014-15 has been allocated for this purpose.

·  Setting up an institution called “3P India” to provide support to mainstreaming Public Private Partnerships with a corpus of Rs. 500 crore.

·  Development of “Outer Harbour Project” phase I in Tuticorin at a total cost of Rs. 11,635 crore.

·  Development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Kandla and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust (JNPT), Mumbai.

·  Development of   1,620 kms ‘Jal Marg Vikas’ (National Waterways-I) on river Ganga between Allahabad and Haldia. The project will be completed over six years at an estimated cost of Rs. 4,200 crore.

·  “Ultra-Modern Super Critical Coal Based Thermal Power Technology” scheme  for promotion of cleaner and more efficient thermal power, with an initial allocation of Rs. 100 crore for preparatory work.

·  Taking up “Ultra Mega Solar Power” projects in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Laddakh in J&K with initial allocation of Rs. 500 crore.

·  Launching a scheme of “Solar Power Driven Agricultural Pump Sets” and “Water Pumping Stations” for energizing one lakh pumps with an allocation of Rs. 400 crore in 2014-15.

·  44. Development of 1 MW Solar Parks on the banks of canals with an additional allocation of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15.

·  Launching of Financial Inclusion Mission to empower the weaker sections of the society, including women, small and marginal farmers and labourers. Subsequently, this scheme called as “Jan Dhan Yojana” was launched on August 15, 2014.

·  Construction of a “War Memorial” and a “War Museum”. Allocation of Rs. 100 crore has been allocated for this purpose.

·  Construction of a “National Police Memorial”. An allocation of Rs. 50 crore has been allocated for this purpose in 2014-15.

·  Creation of 5 tourist circuits around specific themes. A sum of  Rs. 500 crore in 2014-15 has been allocated for this purpose.

·  Launching of “National Mission on Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive” (PRASAD). A sum of Rs. 100 crore in 2014-15 has been allocated for this purpose.

·  Launching of “National Heritage City Development and Augmentation Yojana” (HRIDAY). An allocation of Rs. 200 crore has been earmarked for the scheme.

·  Setting up an “Integrated Ganga Conservation Mission” called “Namami Gange”. A sum of Rs.  2,037 crore has been earmarked for this purpose.

·  “Ghat Development and Beautification of River Front” at Kedarnath, Haridwar, Kanpur, Varanasi, Allahabad, Patna and Delhi. An allocation of Rs. 100 crore has been made in 2014-15.

·   An “NRI Fund for Ganga” is proposed to be set up for financing special projects.

·  Two agri-biotech clusters in Pune and Kolkata are proposed to be established.

·  Setting up a sports university in Manipur. An allocation of Rs.100 crore has been made in 2014-15 for this purpose.

·  Setting up a National Centre for Himalayan Studies in Uttarakhand with an initial allocation of Rs. 100 crore.

·  Setting up a Central University in Seemandhra. A token provision of Rs.1 crore has been made in 2014-15 for this purpose.

·  Setting up Tribal Universities in Seemandhra and Telengana. A token provision of Rs. 2 crore made in 2014-15 for this purpose.

·  Setting up IITs/IIMs including upgradation of 5 IITs/IIMs. A fund of Rs. 500 crore has been earmarked for this purpose in 2014-15.

·  Setting up IIT, NIT, IIM, IISER and IIIT in Seemandhra.  A token provision of Rs.1 crore for each institute has been made in 2014-15.

·  Enhancement of sports facility in Jammu & Kashmir.  A sum of Rs. 200 crore has been provided for upgrading the indoor and outdoor sports stadiums to international standards.

·  A National Sports Talent Search System Programme is proposed. A sum of Rs.50 crore has been set aside for this purpose.

·  Promotion of leadership skills through “A Young Leaders Programme” with an initial allocation of Rs.100 crore.