'Saptarishi' in Union Budget 2023-24: Focus on ‘Reaching the Last Mile’

Prime Minister Atal Vajpayee’s government had set up the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and the Department of Development of North-Eastern Region, said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2023 on Wednesday. 

To provide a sharper focus to the objective of ‘reaching the last mile’, the Union government has formed the ministries of AYUSH, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Skill Development, Jal Shakti and Cooperation.

'Reaching the Last Mile' - Key Components

Aspirational Districts and Blocks Programme: The Government has recently launched the Aspirational Blocks Programme covering 500 blocks for saturation of essential government services across multiple domains such as health, nutrition, education, agriculture, water resources, financial inclusion, skill development, and basic infrastructure.

Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission: Pradhan Mantri PVTG Development Mission will be launched to improve socio-economic conditions of the particularly vulnerable tribal groups (PVTGs).

An amount of Rs 15,000 crore will be made available to implement the Mission in the next three years under the Development Action Plan for the Scheduled Tribes.

Eklavya Model Residential Schools:  The centre will recruit 38,800 teachers and support staff for the 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools, serving 3.5 lakh tribal students in the next three years.

Water for Drought Prone Region: Central assistance of Rs 5,300 crore will be given to Upper Bhadra Project to provide sustainable micro irrigation and filling up of surface tanks for drinking water in the drought-prone central region of Karnataka.

PM Awas Yojana: The outlay for PM Awas Yojana has been enhanced by 66 per cent to over Rs 79,000 crore. 

Bharat Shared Repository of Inscriptions (Bharat SHRI): ‘Bharat Shared Repository of Inscriptions’ will be set up in a digital epigraphy museum, with digitization of one lakh ancient inscriptions in the first stage.