Here\'s how the interim Budget impacts the farm and social sectors

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

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

Read our full coverage on Interim Budget 2019
First Published: Fri, February 01 2019. 22:02 IST