HIGHLIGHTS

INCOME: Per capita income has more than doubled to Rs 1.97 lakh in around nine years.

SAPTARISHI:

Seven priorities of the Budget, 'Saptarishi', are inclusive development, reaching the last mile, infrastructure and investment, unleashing the potential, green growth, youth power and financial sector.

SOFT SKILLS:

30 Skill India International Centres to be set up across different states to equip youth for international opportunities.

FOR MSMEs:

Revamped credit guarantee scheme for MSMEs to take effect from 1st April 2023 through infusion of Rs 9,000 crore in the corpus. This scheme would enable additional collateral-free guaranteed credit of Rs 2 lakh crore and also reduce the cost of the credit by about 1 per cent.

DEFICIT:

Fiscal Deficit targeted to be below 4.5 per cent by 2025-26.

JOB CREATION:

Rs 10 lakh crore capital investment, a steep increase of 33 per cent for third year in a row, to enhance growth potential and job creation, crowd-in private investments, and provide a cushion against global headwinds.

INFRA FUNDING:

Investment of Rs 75,000 crore, including Rs 15,000 crore from private sources, for 100 critical transport infrastructure projects, for last and first mile connectivity for ports, coal, steel, fertilizer, and food grains sectors.

PVT INVESTMENT:

New Infrastructure Finance Secretariat established to enhance opportunities for private investment in infrastructure.

DATA POLICY:

National Data Governance Policy to be brought out to unleash innovation and research by start-ups and academia.

MAHILA SAVINGS:To

commemorate Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, a one-time new small savings scheme, Mahila Samman Savings Certificate, to be launched. It will offer deposit facility of up to Rs 2 lakh in the name of women or girls for tenure of 2 years (up to March 2025) at fixed interest rate of 7.5 per cent with partial withdrawal option.

BORROWINGS:

The gross market borrowings for 2023-24 are estimated at Rs 15.4 lakh crore.