Allocation for Bharat Nirman up 45 percent

September 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government has set an ambitious target to construct as many as 12 million houses for rural poor during the next five years -- nearly double those built between 2005 and 2009, Rural Development Minister C.P. Joshi said Tuesday.

July 26th, 2009 NEW DELHI - India's villages will get some 46,000 km of roads at a cost of Rs.15,000 crore ($3 billion) this fiscal (2009-10) even as the rural job guarantee scheme will be recast to drive the overall economy rather than just assure 100 days of employment, says a new policy document of the government. For the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12), the target for village roads is 230,447 km, says the action plan, expected to be unveiled soon by Rural Development Minister C.P.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Highlights of the union budget for the current fiscal presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha Monday: - No change in corporate tax rate - Income tax exemption limit for senior citizens increased by Rs.15,000, for women and others by 10,000 each - New indirect tax will be introduced in 45 days - Fringe benefit tax abolished - Goods and services tax (GST) will be introduced April 1, 2010 - An alternative dispute settlement mechanism to be set up to settle tax disputes - Lawyers brought under the ambit of service tax - Tax exemption on profits in the natural gas sector extended - Customs duty on LCD TVs reduced to 5 percent from 10 percent - Five percent customs tax imposed on set-top boxes - Rs.500 crore for the rehabilitation of displaced Sri Lankan Tamils and reconstruction activities in that country - Aligarh Muslim University campuses to be set up in Murshidabad in West Bengal and Malappuram in Kerala - Allocation for the minority affairs ministry raised to Rs.1,740 - Plan expenditure up 34 percent, non-plan spend up 37 percent - Total spending increased to Rs.10.2 lakh crore - Rs.420 crore for new IITs and NITs - Commonwealth Games allocated Rs.3,472 crore - National unique identification numbers to start rolling out in 12-18 months - Paramilitary forces such as CRPF to get 100,000 homes - Banking services in under-banked areas to be increased, scheme allocated Rs.100 crore - Agriculture debt waiver extended by six months - Outlay for national rural health mission increased by Rs.2,057 crore from the Rs.12,070 crore provided in the interim budget - Allocation towards National Rural Employment Guarantee Act increased by Rs.39,100 crore - Allocation for Bharat Nirman scheme increased by 45 percent - Rs.20,000 crore for rural housing - Rural electrification scheme to get Rs.7,000 crore more - Tax department to work on early introduction of Saral 2 forms - Stimulus for print media extended from June 13 to Dec 31 - Rs.1,000 crore to accelerate irrigation projects - Agriculture development fund increased from Rs.2.87 lakh crore to Rs.3.25 lakh crore - Market development assistance scheme for exporters increased by 148 percent to Rs.124 crore - Pre-shipment interest subvention set at 2 percent for textile exporters - Sufficient funds for infrastructure development - Allocation for national highways development stepped up by 23 percent - Allocation for urban poor schemes to be raised to Rs.39,730 crore - LNG infrastructure to be expanded - Allocation for Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission raised by 87 percent to Rs.12,887 crore

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Highlights of the union budget for the current fiscal presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha Monday: - Fiscal deficit estimated at 6.8 percent of GDP - National Housing Bank to get Rs.2,000 crore for rural housing funds - Higher education outlay increased by Rs.2,000 crore over interim budget - Geological Survey of India, Botanical and Zoological Survey of India to get Rs.15 crore each. - National River programmes to get Rs.562 crore, up from Rs.335 crore earlier - Rs.1,000 crore for reconstruction activities in the Aila-hit areas in West Bengal - An additional amount of Rs.430 crore allocated to modernise police machinery in states - Rs.190 crore budgetary support for civil aviation - One handloom mega cluster each will be set up in West bengal and Tamil Nadu - One powerloom mega cluster in Rajasthan - At least 50 percent of the total rural women to be brought under the self-help group (SHG) network - Banking network to be expanded to "unbankable" areas -Expert group to be set up to advice on petroleum and diesel prices - No change in corporate tax rate -Centralised processing centre at Bangalore to streamline taxation - Income tax exemption limit for senior citizens increased by Rs.15,000, for women and others by 10,000 each - New indirect tax will be introduced in 45 days - Fringe benefit tax abolished - Duties on life saving drugs reduced - Excise duty on petrol-driven trucks reduced - Goods and services tax (GST) will be introduced April 1, 2010 - An alternative dispute settlement mechanism to be set up to settle tax disputes - Lawyers brought under the ambit of service tax - Tax exemption on profits in the natural gas sector extended - Customs duty on LCD TVs reduced to 5 percent from 10 percent - Five percent customs tax imposed on set-top boxes - Rs.500 crore for the rehabilitation of displaced Sri Lankan Tamils and reconstruction activities in that country - Aligarh Muslim University off-campus centres to be set up in Murshidabad in West Bengal and Malappuram in Kerala - Allocation for the minority affairs ministry raised to Rs.1,740 crore - Plan expenditure up 34 percent, non-plan spend up 37 percent - Total spending increased to Rs.10.2 lakh crore - Rs.420 crore for new IITs and NITs - Commonwealth Games allocated Rs.3,472 crore - National unique identification numbers to start rolling out in 12-18 months - Paramilitary forces such as CRPF to get 100,000 homes - Banking services in under-banked areas to be increased, scheme allocated Rs.100 crore - Agriculture debt waiver extended by six months - Outlay for national rural health mission increased by Rs.2,057 crore from the Rs.12,070 crore provided in the interim budget - Allocation towards National Rural Employment Guarantee Act increased by Rs.39,100 crore - Allocation for Bharat Nirman scheme increased by 45 percent - Rs.20,000 crore for rural housing - Rural electrification scheme to get Rs.7,000 crore more - Tax department to work on early introduction of Saral 2 forms - Stimulus for print media extended from June 13 to Dec 31 - Rs.1,000 crore to accelerate irrigation projects - Agriculture development fund increased from Rs.2.87 lakh crore to Rs.3.25 lakh crore - Market development assistance scheme for exporters increased by 148 percent to Rs.124 crore - Pre-shipment interest subvention set at 2 percent for textile exporters - Sufficient funds for infrastructure development - Allocation for national highways development stepped up by 23 percent - Allocation for urban poor schemes to be raised to Rs.39,730 crore - LNG infrastructure to be expanded - Allocation for Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission raised by 87 percent to Rs.12,887 crore

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The allocation for the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission has been increased by 87 percent to Rs.12,887 crore, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said while presenting the union budget in parliament Monday. Additionally, the Indira Awas Yojna, a housing programme for the poor, has been allocated Rs.2,000 crore, while a Rs.2,000-crore special fund has been set up to finance rural housing projects.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has allocated a whopping Rs.39,100 crore for the Congress-led government's flagship scheme under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA), a hefty 144 percent hike over the previous budget estimates. Reiterating the government's commitment to the scheme that promises 100 days of employment to rural youth, the finance minister said in his budget speech Monday that 4.47 crore households were covered under NREGA last year as against 3.39 crore earlier.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh toady said that Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has done an admirable job by reconciling short-term requirements of the economy with medium term goals.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Highlights of the union budget for the current fiscal presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha Monday: - Agriculture debt waiver extended by six months - Outlay for national rural health mission increased by Rs.2,057 crore from the Rs.12,070 crore provided in the interim budget - Allocation towards National Rural Employment Guarantee Act increased by Rs.39,100 crore - Allocation for Bharat Nirman scheme increased by 45 percent - Rs.20 billion for rural housing - Rural electrification scheme to get Rs.7,000 crore more - Tax department to work on early introduction of Saral 2 forms - Stimulus for print media extended from June 13 to Dec 31 - Rs.1,000 crore to accelerate irrigation projects - Agriculture development fund increased from Rs.2.87 lakh crore to Rs.3.25 lakh crore - Market development assistance scheme for exporters increased by 148 percent to Rs.124 crore - Pre-shipment interest subvention set at 2 percent for textile exporters - Will make sufficient funds for infrastructure development - Allocation for national highways development stepped up by 23 percent - Allocation for urban poor schemes to be raised to Rs.39,730 crore in 2009-10 - LNG infrastructure to be expanded - Allocation for Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission raised by 87 percent to Rs.12,887 crore

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - In keeping with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's inclusive growth mantra, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday announced a slew of schemes for the aam aadmi (common man). The major measures announced in his union budget for 2009-10 are: - Allocation towards National Rural Employment Guarantee Act increased by Rs.39,100 crore - Agriculture debt waiver extended by six months - Outlay for national rural health mission increased by Rs.2,057 crore from the Rs.12,070 crore provided in the interim budget - Allocation for Bharat Nirman scheme increased by 45 percent - Rs.20,000 crore for rural housing - Rural electrification scheme to get Rs.7,000 crore more - Agriculture development fund increased from Rs.2.87 lakh crore to Rs.3.25 lakh crore - Allocation for urban poor schemes to be raised to Rs.39,730 crore - LNG infrastructure to be expanded - National Housing Bank to get Rs.2,000 crore for rural housing funds - Higher education outlay increased by Rs.2,000 crore over interim budget - Income tax exemption limit for senior citizens increased by Rs.15,000, for women and others by 10,000 each - Duties on life saving drugs reduced - Allocation for the minority affairs ministry raised to Rs.1,740 crore - Banking services in under-banked areas to be increased, scheme allocated Rs.100 crore - Rs.1,000 crore to accelerate irrigation projects - Allocation for Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission raised by 87 percent to Rs.12,887 crore

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Highlights of the union budget for the current fiscal presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha Monday: - Plan expenditure up 34 percent to Rs.1,025,838 crore, non plan spend up 37 percent - Total spending increased to Rs.10.2 lakh crore - Rs.420 crore for new IITs and NITs - Commonwealth Games allocated Rs.3,472 crore - National unique identification numbers to start rolling out in 12-18 months - Paramilitary forces such as CRPF to get 100,000 homes - Banking services in under-banked areas to be increased, scheme allocated Rs.100 crore - Agriculture debt waiver extended by six months - Outlay for national rural health mission increased by Rs.2,057 crore from the Rs.12,070 crore provided in the interim budget - Allocation towards National Rural Employment Guarantee Act increased by Rs.39,100 crore - Allocation for Bharat Nirman scheme increased by 45 percent - Rs.20 billion for rural housing - Rural electrification scheme to get Rs.7,000 crore more - Tax department to work on early introduction of Saral 2 forms - Stimulus for print media extended from June 13 to Dec 31 - Rs.1,000 crore to accelerate irrigation projects - Agriculture development fund increased from Rs.2.87 lakh crore to Rs.3.25 lakh crore - Market development assistance scheme for exporters increased by 148 percent to Rs.124 crore - Pre-shipment interest subvention set at 2 percent for textile exporters - Sufficient funds for infrastructure development - Allocation for national highways development stepped up by 23 percent - Allocation for urban poor schemes to be raised to Rs.39,730 crore - LNG infrastructure to be expanded - Allocation for Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission raised by 87 percent to Rs.12,887 crore

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Infrastructure development continues to be a priority area for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government with Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee increasing public investment in this sector. "The investment in infrastructure for the growth of economy is critical.

June 8th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government has the scope to raise funds by selling shares in state-run firms even as subsidies need to be recast to benefit the needy, Montek Singh Ahluwalia said Monday, taking over as deputy chairman of the Planning Commission for a second successive term. "There is scope to raise significant resources through selling government stakes in the state-run companies," Ahluwalia told reporters at his first press conference after he was named the deputy chief of the plan panel.

June 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The government plans to connect every panchayat to a broadband network in the next three years and expects to reach 40 percent rural tele-density in the next five years. The initiative is part of its ambitious target to drastically improve infrastructure in the villages under its Bharat Nirman (Build India) programme.

June 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With two-thirds of India's billion-plus people living in villages, President Pratibha Patil Thursday outlined a five-year agenda for the new government that has added emphasis on rural development, with fresh targets in areas such as irrigation, potable water, electrification, roads and telecom. If Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had promised a new deal for rural India when he took charge of the high office for the first time in 2004, Patil Thursday said the targets of all flagship programmes for rural development would be stepped up under his next United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.

June 4th, 2009 NEW DELHI - With two-thirds of India's billion-plus people living in its 650,000 villages, India's new government Thursday outlined a five-year agenda that promises a new deal for rural India, including improved agricultural practices,better roads, modern communication, access to drinking water, housing and overall improvement of its infrastructure. If Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had promised a "new deal for rural India" when he took charge of the high office for the first time in 2004, President Pratibha Patil, reading out the government's action plan in parliament Thursday, said the targets of all flagship programmes for rural development would be stepped up under his second United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.