Budget to drive investment, jobs, women’s empowerment, health and education
Mungeli (Chhattisgarh): Addressing a press conference at Vishram Grih in Mungeli, CrEda President and Cabinet Minister-rank leader Bhupendra Savanni, speaking on behalf of the state leadership, described the Union Budget as a visionary blueprint that lays a strong foundation for India’s transformation into a developed nation by 2047.
Giving an overview of the Budget’s key highlights to journalists, Savanni said the government has accorded balanced priority to education, health, employment, women’s empowerment, agriculture, industry and infrastructure. He said that five new University Townships will be established and data companies have been granted tax exemptions until 2047 to boost investment and generate large-scale employment in the technology sector.
Boost to Tourism and Youth Employment
Savanni said the Budget provides for training 10,000 youth as tourist guides, which will promote tourism and create new employment opportunities. The Tax Collected at Source (TCS) rate on foreign travel has been reduced to 2 per cent. He added that TCS relief has also been extended on funds remitted abroad for medical treatment and education. In addition, no tax will be levied on goods worth up to ₹75,000 brought from abroad.
Jobs in Animation, Gaming and Health Sectors
Under the new Budget, up to 20 lakh professionals will be trained in the Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics (AVGC) sectors by 2030. For the health sector, the government has allocated ₹1,000 crore to train 1 to 1.5 lakh elite health professionals in radiology, anaesthesia, operation theatre services and behavioural health.
Women’s Empowerment Initiatives
Savanni highlighted several provisions aimed at women’s empowerment. The Budget announced the launch of SHE Marts and Self-Help Entrepreneur Marts for rural women to market their products directly. The target for the Lakhpati Didi scheme has been raised from 2 crore to 5 crore beneficiaries. The budget of the Ministry of Women and Child Development has also been increased to ₹28,143 crore.
Support for Farmers, Livestock and Fisherfolk
The Budget proposes loan subsidies for livestock farmers, the creation of 500 large fishponds to promote aquaculture, special schemes for coffee growers, and several measures to enhance the income of small farmers. Savanni emphasised the government’s focus on empowering farmers as entrepreneurs.
MSME, Manufacturing and Health Sector Push
A ₹10,000 crore MSME Development Fund has been announced to support micro, small and medium enterprises. Investments exceeding ₹1 lakh crore are expected to boost manufacturing across seven key sectors. To strengthen healthcare infrastructure, the government has earmarked ₹40,000 crore to develop India as a bio-pharma hub. Plans include setting up five major medical hubs, three Ayurvedic hospitals, affordable medicines, deploying 1.5 lakh caregivers for the elderly and increasing trauma-care capacity in district hospitals by 50 per cent.
Focus on Education and Infrastructure
The Budget envisions AVGC labs in schools and colleges, development of high-speed rail corridors, three chemical parks, and the rollout of 10,000 electric buses. The deadline for filing income tax returns has also been extended.
Comparing Budgets: Congress vs Modi Government
Savanni drew comparisons between previous Congress budgets and those under the current government, stating that education spending has risen from ₹39,000 crore to ₹1.39 lakh crore. Defence allocation has increased from ₹2.5 lakh crore to ₹7.30 lakh crore, health from ₹38,000 crore to over ₹1 lakh crore, agriculture support from ₹29,000 crore to ₹1.65 lakh crore, railway budget from ₹29,000 crore to ₹2.81 lakh crore, and capital expenditure from ₹2 lakh crore to ₹12.02 lakh crore.
Historic Gains for Chhattisgarh
Savanni said that the Budget includes the development of mining corridors benefiting mineral-based industries in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Kerala. He added that the state has been allocated ₹7,470 crore for railway development — a historic allocation.
The press conference was attended by BJP district president Dinanath Kesharwani, Zilla Panchayat President Shrikant Pandey, State Working Committee member Girish Shukla, former district president Shailesh Pathak, municipal vice chairman Mohan Mallah, district media in-charge Ramsharan Yadav and representatives of print, electronic and digital media. The information was provided by District Media In-charge Ramsharan Yadav.
