Read and Download the Full Budget Speech of FM for FY 2022-23

Budget 2022-2023

Speech of

Nirmala Sitharaman

Minister of Finance

February 1, 2022

Hon’ble Speaker,

I present theBudget for the year 2022-23.

Introduction

At the outset, I want to take a moment to express my empathy for those who had to bear adverse health and economic effects of the pandemic.
The overall, sharp rebound and recovery of the economyis reflective of our country’s strong resilience. India’s economic growth in the current year is estimated to be 9.2 per cent, highest among all large economies.
I recognise we are in the midst of an Omicron wave, with high incidence, but milder symptoms. Further, the speed and coverage of our vaccination campaign has helped greatly. With the accelerated improvement of health infrastructure in the past two years, we are in a strong position to withstand challenges. I am confident that with SabkaPrayaswe will continue our journey of strong growth.
Hon’ble Speaker, we are marking AzadikaAmritMahotsav, and have entered into AmritKaal, the 25-year-long leadup to India@100. Hon’ble Prime Minister in his Independence Day address had set-out the vision for India@100.
By achieving certain goals during the AmritKaal, our government aims to attain the vision. They are:
- Complementing the macro-economic level growth focus with a micro-economic level all-inclusive welfare focus,
- Promoting digital economy &fintech, technology enabled development, energy transition, and climate action, and
- Relying on virtuous cycle starting from private investment with public capital investment helping to crowd-in private investment.
Since 2014 our government’s focus has been on empowerment of citizens, especially the poor and the marginalised. Measures have included programmes that have provided housing, electricity, cooking gas, and access to water. We also have programmes for ensuring financial inclusion and direct benefit transfers. We are committed to strengthening the abilities of the poor to tap all opportunities. Our government constantly strives to provide the necessary ecosystem for the middle classes – a vast and wide section which is populated across various middle-income brackets – to make use of the opportunities they so desire.
This Budget seeks to lay the foundation and give a blueprint to steer the economy over the AmritKaal of the next 25 years – from India at 75 to India at 100. It continues to build on the vision drawn in the Budget of 2021-22. Its fundamental tenets, which included transparency of financial statement and fiscal position, reflect the government’s intent, strengths, and challenges. This continues to guide us.
The initiatives of the last year’s Budget have seen significant progress and have been provided with adequate allocations in this Budget as well.
The strengthening of health infrastructure, speedy implementation of the vaccination programme, and the nation-wide resilient response to the current wave of the pandemic, are evident for all.
The Productivity Linked Incentive in 14 sectors for achieving the vision of AtmaNirbhar Bharat has received excellent response, with potential to create 60 lakh new jobs, and an additional production of ` 30 lakh crore during next 5 years.
Towards implementation of the new Public Sector Enterprise policy, the strategic transfer of ownership of Air India has been completed. The strategic partner for NINL (NeelanchalIspat Nigam Limited) has been selected. The public issue of the LIC is expected shortly. Others too are in the process for 2022-23.
The National Bank for Financing Infrastructure and Development (NaBFID) and National Asset Reconstruction Company have commenced their activities.
Hon’ble Speaker sir, Budget 2021-22 had provided a sharp increase in provision for public investment or capital expenditure. Throughout the year, with the Hon’ble Prime Minister, guiding the implementation, our economic recovery is continuing to benefit from the multiplier effect.
This Budget continues to provide impetus for growth. It lays a parallel track of (1) a blueprint for the AmritKaal, which is futuristic and inclusive. This will directly benefit our youth, women, farmers, the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes. And (2) big public investment for modern infrastructure, readying for India at 100. This shall be guided by PM GatiShakti and be benefited by the synergy of multi-modal approach. Moving forward, on this parallel track, we lay the following four priorities:
- PM GatiShakti
- Inclusive Development
- Productivity Enhancement & Investment, Sunrise Opportunities, Energy Transition, and Climate Action
- Financing of Investments

PM GatiShakti

15. PM GatiShakti is a transformative approach for economic growth and sustainable development. The approach is driven by seven engines, namely, Roads, Railways, Airports, Ports, Mass Transport, Waterways, and Logistics Infrastructure. All seven engines will pull forward the economy in unison. These engines are supported by the complementary roles of Energy Transmission, IT Communication, Bulk Water & Sewerage, and Social Infrastructure. Finally, the approach is powered by Clean Energy and SabkaPrayas – the efforts of the Central Government, the state governments, and the private sector together – leading to huge job and entrepreneurial opportunities for all, especially the youth.

PM GatiShakti National Master Plan

16. The scope of PM GatiShakti National Master Plan will encompass the seven engines for economic transformation, seamless multimodal connectivity and logistics efficiency. It will also include the infrastructure developed by the state governments as per the GatiShakti Master Plan. The focus will be on planning, financing including through innovative ways, use of technology, and speedier implementation.

17. The projects pertaining to these 7 engines in the National Infrastructure Pipeline will be aligned with PM GatiShakti framework. The touchstone of the Master Plan will be world-class modern infrastructure and logistics synergy among different modes of movement – both of people and goods – and location of projects. This will help raise productivity, and accelerate economic growth and development.

Road Transport

18. PM GatiShakti Master Plan for Expressways will be formulated in 2022-23 to facilitate faster movement of people and goods. The National Highways network will be expanded by 25,000 km in 2022-23. ` 20,000 crore will be mobilized through innovative ways of financing to complement the public resources.

Seamless Multimodal Movement of Goods and People

19. The data exchange among all mode operators will be brought on Unified Logistics Interface Platform (ULIP), designed for Application Programming Interface (API). This will provide for efficient movement of goods through different modes, reducing logistics cost and time, assisting just-in-time inventory management, and in eliminating tedious documentation. Most importantly, this will provide real time information to all stakeholders, and improve international competitiveness. Open-source mobility stack, for organizing seamless travel of passengers will also be facilitated.

Multimodal Logistics Parks

20. Contracts for implementation of Multimodal Logistics Parks at four locations through PPP mode will be awarded in 2022-23.

Railways

21. Railways will develop new products and efficient logistics services for small farmers and Small and Medium Enterprises, besides taking the lead in integration of Postal and Railways networks to provide seamless solutions for movement of parcels.

22. ‘One Station-One Product’ concept will be popularized to help local businesses & supply chains.

23. As a part of Atmanirbhar Bharat, 2,000 km of network will be brought under Kavach, the indigenous world-class technology for safety and capacity augmentation in 2022-23. Four hundred new-generation Vande Bharat Trains with better energy efficiency and passenger riding experience will be developed and manufactured during the next three years.

24. One hundred PM GatiShakti Cargo Terminals for multimodal logistics facilities will be developed during the next three years.

Mass Urban Transport including Connectivity to Railways

25. Innovative ways of financing and faster implementation will be encouraged for building metro systems of appropriate type at scale. Multimodal connectivity between mass urban transport and railway stations will be facilitated on priority. Design of metro systems, including civil structures, will be re-oriented and standardized for Indian conditions and needs.

Parvatmala: National Ropeways Development Programme

26. With technical support from the Capacity Building Commission, central ministries, state governments, and their infra-agencies will have their skills upgraded. This will ramp up capacity in planning, design, financing (including innovative ways), and implementation management of the PM GatiShakti infrastructure projects.

Capacity Building for Infrastructure Projects

27. With technical support from the Capacity Building Commission, central ministries, state governments, and their infra-agencies will have their skills upgraded. This will ramp up capacity in planning, design, financing (including innovative ways), and implementation management of the PM GatiShakti infrastructure projects.

Inclusive Development

Agriculture

28. The procurement of wheat in Rabi 2021-22 and the estimated procurement of paddy in Kharif 2021-22 will cover 1208 lakh metric tonnes of wheat and paddy from 163 lakh farmers, and ` 2.37 lakh crore direct payment of MSP value to their accounts.

29. Chemical-free Natural Farming will be promoted throughout the country, with a focus on farmers’ lands in 5-km wide corridors along river Ganga, at the first stage.

30. 2023 has been announced as the International Year of Millets. Support will be provided for post-harvest value addition, enhancing domestic consumption, and for branding millet products nationally and internationally.

31. To reduce our dependence on import of oilseeds, a rationalised and comprehensive scheme to increase domestic production of oilseeds will be implemented.

32. For delivery of digital and hi-tech services to farmers with involvement of public sector research and extension institutions along with private agri-tech players and stakeholders of agri-value chain, a scheme in PPP mode will be launched.

33. Use of ‘Kisan Drones’ will be promoted for crop assessment, digitization of land records, spraying of insecticides, and nutrients.

34. States will be encouraged to revise syllabi of agricultural universities to meet the needs of natural, zero-budget and organic farming, modern-day agriculture, value addition and management.

35. A fund with blended capital, raised under the co-investment model, will be facilitated through NABARD. This is to finance startups for agriculture & rural enterprise, relevant for farm produce value chain. The activities for these startups will include, inter alia, support for FPOs, machinery for farmers on rental basis at farm level, and technology including IT-based support.

Ken Betwa project and Other River Linking Projects

36. Implementation of the Ken-Betwa Link Project, at an estimated cost of ` 44,605 crore will be taken up. This is aimed at providing irrigation benefits to 9.08 lakh hectare of farmers’ lands, drinking water supply for 62 lakh people, 103 MW of Hydro, and 27 MW of solar power. Allocations of `4,300crore in RE 2021-22 and `1,400crore in 2022-23 have been made for this project.

37. Draft DPRs of five river links, namely Damanganga-Pinjal, Par-Tapi- Narmada, Godavari-Krishna, Krishna-Pennar and Pennar-Cauvery have been finalized. Once a consensus is reached among the beneficiary states, the Centre will provide support for implementation.

Food Processing

38. For farmers to adopt suitable varieties of fruits and vegetables, and to use appropriate production and harvesting techniques, our government will provide a comprehensive package with participation of state governments.

MSME

39. Udyam, e-Shram, NCS and ASEEM portals will be interlinked. Their scope will be widened. They will now perform as portals with live, organic databases, providing G2C, B2C and B2B services. These services will relate to credit facilitation, skilling, and recruitment with an aim to further formalise the economy and enhance entrepreneurial opportunities for all.

40. Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme (ECLGS) has provided much-needed additional credit to more than 130 lakh MSMEs. This has helped them mitigate the adverse impact of the pandemic. The hospitality and related services, especially those by micro and small enterprises, are yet to regain their pre-pandemic level of business. Considering these aspects, the ECLGS will be extended up to March 2023 and its guarantee cover will be expanded by ` 50,000 crore to total cover of ` 5 lakh crore, with the additional amount being earmarked exclusively for the hospitality and related enterprises.

41.` 2 lakh crore for Micro and Small Enterprises and expand employment opportunities.

42. Raising and Accelerating MSME Performance (RAMP) programme with outlay of ` 6,000 crore over 5 years will be rolled out. This will help the MSME sector become more resilient, competitive and efficient.