New Delhi: Several of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s pet projects found prominent place in Arun Jaitley’s maiden Budget on Thursday.
The finance minister earmarked Rs 2,037 crore for the cleanup and conservation of the river Ganga, and allotted Rs 200 crore for a grand statue of India’s first home minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, that is coming up in Gujarat. Mr Modi, as chief minister, had launched a campaign to collect iron pieces from each village in the country to build the statue of India’s original Iron Man, that will be the tallest in the world. It is estimated to cost Rs 2,500 crore, to be funded by both the Centre and the Gujarat government.
Another project supported by Mr Modi, the building of a war memorial for the country’s martyrs, has been allocated Rs 100 crore. The war memorial is likely to come up in the heart of New Delhi, at Princes’ Park, close to India Gate.
The Prime Minister’s favourite theme like renewal energy, solar power, soil health cards too got adequate financial allocation in the Union Budget. Mr Modi’s stress on interlinking of rivers too figured in the Union Budget, as Mr Jaitley allocated a sum of Rs 200 crore for the feasibility study.
The Prime Minister during the campaign trail for the Lok Sabha elections and also in Varanasi had promised that if elected he would work for cleaning and conservation of the river Ganga.
Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, fullfilling Prime Minister’s promise, unveiled Ganga Conservation Mission called “Namami Gange”, besides an “NRI Fund for Ganga” will be set up which will finance special projects. Also, a sum of Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for conservation of Ghats (river fronts) on the river Ganga.
In his maiden speech in Lok Sabha, while replying on the discussion on President’s address, Mr Modi had elaborated on the needs for a “protein revolution” to fight malnutrition among the poor. The Finance Minister, while presenting a comprehensive package for agriculture, said that the government would seek to bring in “protein revolution”. The Prime Minister’s stress on giving a boost to manufacturing sector too got attention of the Finance Minister in the Union Budget.
The Prime Minister in his campaign speeches during Lok Sabha elections had repeatedly talked about bridging the digital divide, as the Finance Minister made financial allocations for a digital India. Mr Modi’s assertions for round the clock electricity in villages too reflected in the Union Budget, as Finance Minister unveiled Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojna, which got an allocation of Rs 500 crore.
The Parliamentary constituency of the Prime Minister Varanasi also figured in the Union Budget as the place got a textile park besides additional funding for boosting the tourist circuit there.
