Pranab Mukherjee, Union Minister for Finance, on 26 February 2010 presented
Union Budget for 2010-2011
Some of the highlights are:
- To allocate Rs 10,000 crore to Indira Aawas Yojana
- Allocation for power sector at Rs 5,130 crore in FY11
- Allocation for road infrastructure raised to 19,894 crore
- Allocated Rs 66,100 crore for rural development
- Rs 1,73,552 crore provided for infrastructure.
- Need to take firm view on opening up of the retail.
- One-time grant of Rs 200 crore provided to Tirupur textile cluster in
Tamil Nadu.
- Allocation for new and renewable energy ministry.
- Clean Energy Fund to be created for research in new energy sources.
- Rs 500 crore allocated for solar and hydro projects for Ladakh region.
- Alternative port to be developed at Sagar Island in West Bengal.
- Allocation for National Ganga River Basin Authority doubled to Rs 500
crore.
- Government for competitive bidding for coal blocks for captive power
plants.
- Mega power plant policy modified to lower cost of generation; allocation
to power sector more than doubled to Rs 5,130 crore in 2010-11.
- Government proposes to set Coal Development Regulatory Authority.
- Propose to maintain thrust of upgrading infrastructure in rural and urban
areas. IIFCL authorised to refinance infrastructure projects.
- Interest subvention for timely repayment of crop loans raised from one per
cent to two per cent, bringing the effective rate of interest to five per
cent.