37 old and new schemes to look out for on Budget day
The Hindu
Preview of Budget FY2025-26 schemes: new, reduced funding, PLI, electric mobility initiatives in India. Clear breakdown in tables.
With Budget FY2025-26 scheduled to be presented on February 1, here is a look at some of the recently launched schemes, older schemes with significantly reduced funding, schemes under the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) umbrella, and those promoting electric mobility in India.
Table 1 shows a select list of recently launched schemes and their allocations.
It includes the scheme for installing solar rooftops which was launched in 2024 and allocated ₹6,250 crore in FY25(BE). Other schemes are the Rashtriya Gram Swaraj Abhiyan to re-imagine panchayati raj institutions, the scheme to upgrade Industrial Training Institute (ITIs) and the controversial PM Vishwakarma scheme, which aims to nurture the guru-shishya parampara or family-based practice of traditional skills. Schemes with the goal of promoting AI in India such as the INDIA AI mission and Centres of Excellence for AI are also a part of the list.
Table 2 shows a select list of older schemes, allocations for which have significantly reduced over the years.
Major schemes include the Regional Connectivity Scheme, from unserved and underserved airports, and the Smart Cities Mission to enhance the quality of life in 100 cities. The promotion of the digital payments scheme did not get any allocation in the last Budget. Other schemes include Digital India and Startup India.
Table 3 shows the complete list of schemes which come under the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) umbrella.
The largest of them is the successful electronics and IT hardware scheme, with the most recent allocation touching ₹6,200 crore.
According to the company, the technology, protected by multiple international patents, facilitates the creation of a plastic-to-plastic circular economy, where commonly used plastics such as polyolefin packaging no longer need to be down-cycled, incinerated or landfilled at the end of their life. Instead, they can be continuously recycled in a closed-loop, without any loss of quality.