Here's how the interim Budget impacts the farm and social sectors The boost for the farm and the social sectors in interim Budget comes with certain riders. Experts at PwC India decode the impact of the measures proposed for these sectors
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Karnataka is a special case since it has fully completed its first tranche of Rs 82 billion Business Standard
Farm sector Measures:
Inclusion of animal husbandry and fisheries in Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme and availing of interest subvention
Impact:
Inclusion of allied sector farmers
Concerns:
Land remains collateral
Hypothecating livestock and fisheries will have issues for asset identification, tagging and recovery
Measures:
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN) Scheme
Impact: Direct benefit transfer to small and marginal farmers
Concerns:
Landless labour left out
Land record reconciliation
Land record not fully digitised
Increasing fragmentation of land
Social sector Measures:
Stagnant allocation of Rs 60,000 crore for MGNREGA
Impact: Lower achievement of targeted person-days
Concerns: The outlay has to be hiked during the year or the target person-days has to be reduced
Measures:
Increased allocation to Ayushman Bharat
Impact: Increase in beneficiaries
Concerns:
Adequacy of Budget outlay in the event of accelerated enrolment
Timely payments to hospitals
Measures:
Pradhan Mantri Shramyogi Man Dhan Yojana
Impact:
Widening the ambit of social security net for unorganised marginal wagers
Concerns:
How the discontinuity in payments is treated
Low interest amongst workers due to large premium paying duration
Measures:
National Programme on Artificial Intelligence
Impact: Greater preparedness to address disruptions by technology
Concerns: Scale of investment and capability dictate that it should be done in partnership with private partners
Measures: Increased allocation to National Education Mission
Impact: Improvement in the quality of education
Concerns: While school education seems to have received adequate outlays, there is no clarity on the much-needed reforms in higher education
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