'Nari Shakti' Takes Center Stage; Vaccination To Prevent Cervical Cancer; Government To Bring Synergy Of Various Schemes For Maternal And Childcare; U-Win Platform To Further Strengthen Digital India Initiative; Healthcare Cover For Asha Workers, Anganwadi Workers And Helpers
FinTech BizNews Service
Mumbai, February 1, 2024: Aiming for Viksit Bharat by 2047 and with a sharp focus and providing momentum to Nari Shakti, Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman today proposed vaccination to prevent Cervical Cancer and amalgamation of various schemes for maternal and child care, as she presented the Interim Budget 2024-25 in Parliament today.
The vaccination programme will be for girls in the age group of 9 to 14 years for prevention of cervical cancer. The Government will encourage this vaccination among the eligible categories, she added.
To bring synergy in various programmes for maternal and child care, the Union Finance Minister proposed that one comprehensive programme will be created. She further added that Anganwadi Centres to be upgraded under ‘Saksham Anganwadi and Poshan 2.0’ will be expedited. She expressed that this will improve nutrition delivery, early childhood care and development.
To further the Digital India initiative of the Government, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman proposed that newly designed U-WIN platform to be rolled out expeditiously throughout the country. This platform will be used for managing immunization and furthering the efforts under Mission Indradhanush, she added.
With focus on Yuva Shakti and marching towards the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman proposed setting up of more medical colleges, as she presented the Interim Budget 2024-25 in Parliament today.
The new Medical Colleges will be set up by utilizing the existing hospital infrastructure under various departments. A Committee will be set up for this purpose to examine the issues and make relevant recommendations, the Union Finance Minister stated. She expressed that that this initiative will not only create opportunity for youth to become doctors but also improve healthcare services to the people.
Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman also proposed that ASHA workers, Anganwadi workers and helpers will also be covered under the Ayushman Bharat Scheme.
The government under the leadership of Prime Minister firmly believes to focus on four major castes i.e. ‘Garib’ (poor), ‘Mahilayen’ (women), ‘Yuva’ (youth) and ‘Annadata’ (farmer). This was stated by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Interim Budget 2024-25 in Parliament today. “Their needs, their aspirations, and their welfare are our highest priority. The country progresses, when they progress. All four require and receive government support in their quest to better their lives. Their empowerment and well-being will drive the country forward”, she added.
In the pursuit of Sabka Saath in last 10 years, the Government has assisted 25 crore people to get freedom from multi-dimensional poverty. Smt. Sitharaman further stated that the Government’s efforts are now getting synergised with energy and passion of such empowered people; this is truly elevating them from poverty.
Dinesh Khara, Chairman, SBI, says: “The interim budget has laid out an affirmative action of fiscal glide path towards 4.5% in FY26. The heartening news is that the anticipated tax buoyancy in FY24 excluding the outlier pandemic year is the highest in 7 years. This apart, the budget has laid out reinforced architecture of Big possibilities, creating an all-encompassing action-oriented roadmap to embark upon an arduous yet rewarding journey for each and every Indian, chiefly the fringe and hitherto vulnerable masses, entrepreneurs, agripreneurs and women, making them an equity holder in Viksit Bharat.”
Navneet Munot, MD & CEO, HDFC Asset Management Co. Ltd, explains: In the words of Mahatma Gandhi, "the true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable". And Government by its focus on “GYAN” – Gareeb (Poor), Youth, Annadata (Farmers) and Naari (Women) has targeted to achieve exactly that.
The budget gets full marks for Credibility of numbers, Continuity on structural reforms and Conviction of building a developed economy in a highly sustainable and equitable manner. The conviction is commendable despite a challenging global backdrop.
The focus has shifted on quality rather than quantity of spending, on outcome rather than outlays. There is an unwavering focus on building world-class infrastructure – physical, digital as well as social. Social welfare received targeted attention for enhanced quality outcomes. A distinct highlight was creation of an Innovation fund to foster a self-reliant, knowledge-based economy.
While the interim budget was only a vote-on-account, a procedural necessity pending elections, the finance minister not only injected enough Cash to support growth (particularly Infrastructure) but also infused great Confidence in each section of society to gear up for building a Viksit Bharat in this Amrit Kaal.
Commitment on fiscal consolidation and focus on supply augmentation bolster macro-economic stability and spell good news for bond markets and debt mutual funds. In equity markets, long term investors will take the budget positively while the near-term direction will depend on global cues, incoming data and earnings trajectory.
