Budget 2015-16: Govt taking necessary steps to create a land of equal opportunities

The Union Budget submitted by the Finance Minister today seems a progressive one, aimed at boosting the overall economic growth in our country.

As someone passionate about the development of our beloved country, it is indeed heartening for me to note that welfare schemes and social development projects are an equal priority item for the government as are issues pertaining to retrieval of black money or that of creating a business friendly environment for corporates in India, among others.

Be it the mission of creating an open-defecation-free society by constructing 600,000 toilets over five years under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan or that of giving impetus on right to education to every child by upgrading 80,000 schools pan India or that of providing livelihood opportunities to the rural youth / poorest of the poor, the Budget has aimed at covering even the softer aspects of human development while focusing on the macroeconomic development indices.

By earmarking close to Rs 5,300 crore for micro-irrigation projects, by facilitating rural infrastructure development projects through the Rs 25,000 crore allocated for the same, the introduction of the MUDRA bank, the huge impetus on 'Skilling Rural youth' - overall there seems to be a renewed commitment at the central leadership to bridge the urban-rural divide and create a holistic model of development for Rural India. It is a model that we at Swades Foundation firmly believe in and continue to work upon through our NGO.

Also, given the corporate friendly and positive atmosphere that the Budget is likely to generate - with greater investments likely into the country, we anticipate corporates to make greater revenues / profits and in turn can hope that they will be more forthcoming and willing to deploy, both time and money, through their CSR spends and employee engagement initiatives, towards projects related to social well-being and community development.

I truly believe that India cannot rise to its true potential without a fundamental transformation in the lives of rural Indians (often the poorest of the poor) and am glad the government is taking the necessary measures in creating a land of equal opportunities, a nation of our dreams!

The author is one of the Founders and the Managing Trustee of Swades Foundation