Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in
a noteworthy overview of Bharat’s progress over the past decade, outlined a
series of transformative advancements across numerous sectors, heralding a new
era of prosperity and empowerment.
Addressing the nation, FM Sitharaman accentuated
the Centre’s tireless efforts in uplifting the lives of millions, with a
staggering 25 crore people lifted out of poverty within the last 10 years. She asserted
upon the significant economic strides made, citing a 50 per cent rise in
average real income and moderate inflation, indicative of improved living
standards and greater financial stability for citizens.
Empowering women emerged as a
cornerstone of the Union Government’s agenda, with FM Sitharaman celebrating
achievements in women education and workforce participation. Notable milestones
included a 28 per cent surge in female enrolment in higher education in the
last 10 years, with girls and women constituting 43 per cent of STEM course
enrolments, positioning Bharat among global leaders in gender inclusivity.
Legislative measures such as the
outlawing of triple talaq and reservation of one-third of parliamentary seats
for women and economic steps like facilitating more entrepreneurship with Mudra
Yojana loans worth Rs 30 crore and ease of living in these 10 years have
empowered women.
Youth empowerment took central focus as
well, with FM Sitharaman appreciating the nation’s burgeoning talent pool in
sports and academia, exemplified by record-breaking performances in global events
such Asian Games and Asian Para Games in 2023. Moreover, Bharat has over 80
Chess Grandmasters compared to a slightly over 20 in 2010.
The Skill India Mission’s feat is remarkable
as it trained 1.4 crore youth, upskilled and re-skilled 54 lakh youth, and set
up 3,000 new technical and medical education institutes, including 7 IITs, 16
IIITs, 7 IIMs, 15 AIIMS and 390 universities.
Addressing the housing needs of the
underprivileged and women, FM Sitharaman announced ambitious plans to build an
additional 2 crore houses under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, catering to the
burgeoning demand from rural families. Owing to fulfilling over 70 per cent
housing requirements of women, their dignity has been raised. Currently, Bharat
is close to achieving the target of 3 crore houses.
Furthermore, initiatives such as rooftop
solarisation aimed to provide sustainable energy solutions while alleviating
the financial burden on households with 300 units of free electricity per month
to one crore households.
To provide better health benefits, the
Centre has extended the health cover under the Ayushman Bharat scheme to all
ASHA and Anganwadi workers and helpers.
Agricultural reform featured prominently
in the government’s agenda, with enhanced support for post-harvest activities
and a substantial increase in financial assistance for farmers, a key priority
since 2019, under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi program. Now each farmer is getting
finanacial assistance of Rs 12,000 which was Rs 6,000 previously, marking a
significant boost.
Looking ahead, FM Sitharaman outlined a
bold vision for Bharat’s future, encompassing initiatives to tackle population
growth, promote renewable energy, and fortify national security through
technological innovation, inclusive development and sustainable growth.
The Finance Minister’s comprehensive
address encapsulated a decade of transformative change while charting a course
for a future defined by resilience, innovation, and inclusive growth.
