Union Budget 2017: Total allocation of Rs 1.87 lakh crore for rural, agriculture

Jaitley also said that the government has allocated a record Rs 48,000 crore for 2017-18 from 37,000 in 2016-17 for MGNREGA.

Arun Jaitley speaks at a conference. Photo: IANS

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in his Union Budget 2017 speech said that the total allocation for rural, agricultural and allied sectors for 2017-18 is Rs 1,87,223 crore. This is 24% higher that which was allocated to this sector last year.

The government has also allocated the highest recorded to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). Jaitley said that the government has allocated a record Rs 48,000 crore for 2017-18 from 37,000 in 2016-17.

“Dedicated micro-irrigation fund will be set up by NABARD to achieve goal of 'Per Drop More Crop'.Initial corpus will be Rs 5,000 crore,” said Jaitley

“MNREGA should create productive assets. Targets of 5 lakh ponds and 10 lakh composite pits have been afully achieved. During 2017-18, another 5 lakh ponds would be taken up. Participation of women increased to 55% from 48% in the past,” he added.

Apart from this, the government has planned for 100% village electrification will be achieved by May 1, 2018.

“The initiative to geotag all MNREGA assets and putting them in public domain has gained traction,” he said.

Jaitley said, “Proposed to increase allocation to national rural livelihood mission to Rs 4,500 crore. PM's employment generation scheme has gone by by more than 3 times. Swacch Bharat Mission has helped ending open defecation. 42% to 60%, is rural sanitation.”

Jaitley said that the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) is at 133 km road per day in 2016-17 as against 73 km per day during 2011-14. “We have taken the task of connecting habitats of more than 100 persons in left-wing blocks,” he said.

The government has allocated Rs 19.000 crore for the PMGSY. Total of Rs 27,000 crore with support of state governments.

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