Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday took part in a discussion on the Union Budget 2024 with leaders of business community, youth as well as women in Shillong, Meghalaya.
Union Budget 2024 Sets Roadmap For India Towards Becoming Viksit Bharat
Speaking at the meeting on the empowerment of Tribal communities, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “The Union Budget 2024 sets the roadmap for India towards becoming Viksit Bharat. With renewed vigour and priority, the budget aims to boost economic, industrial and agricultural sectors with the enablement of youth, women and tribal communities of the Northeast. Our dynamic Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has identified our beautiful Northeast as the ‘Astalakshmi’ and the new engine of India’s growth. Under Modi ji, the provision in this budget for empowerment and enablement of tribal communities has increased nearly 200% with an allocation of Rs 13,000 crores which will be used for the welfare of the tribal communities. For enablement of our traditional artisan, craftsman, Self Help Groups (SHGs), Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribe and women entrepreneurs, schemes like PM Vishwakarma, PM SVANidhji, National Livelihood Mission, and Stand up India, this budget has stepped up allocation. Another landmark scheme for serving social justice for the tribal communities, the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram was announced in this budget which will aim at improving the socio-economic condition of tribal communities. This will benefit directly the five crore tribal population in 63,000 villages.”
Underscoring the budgetary boost for agriculture in the Northeast, the Union Minister said, “Under the dynamic leadership of PM Modi ji, we are working towards unlocking the tremendous potential of the Northeast as the hub of Natural Farming and Horticulture as well as enabling our young talent to become world-class skilled workforce. The release of 109 high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties of 32 field and horticulture crops offers an opportunity for Meghalaya, a pioneer in this field, to multiply income generation and mitigate the adverse effects of climate change. With the proposed digital crop survey, access to credit will improve via Kisan Credit Cards. An allocation of Rs 598 crore for the eco-friendly sustainable agriculture project will control the adverse effects of climate change, soil erosion and insect, pest and disease infestation which greatly improve the prospects of agricultural produce from the region.”