Budget 2018: 2 Crore Toilets in 2 Years, Shelter For All Homeless

FM Jaitley said Rs 14.34 trillion will be spent by ministries in 2018-19 for livelihood promotion in rural areas.

Arun Jaitley proposed LPG connections to 8 crore poor women.

(Photo: Reuters)

In his 2018 Budget speech, Arun Jaitley unraveled various schemes to strengthen the weaker sections of the society.

"The government proposes to increase the target of providing free Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) connections to 8 crore poor women," the Finance Minister said in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, 1 February.

Besides, homes, toilets and electricity were proposed for the poorer sections. The National Democratic Government (NDA) government’s last Budget before the Lok Sabha elections laid huge emphasis on dedicated affordable housing funds.

Modi govt aims to provide a shelter to every poor and under-privileged person by 2022.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley

Jaitley also added that in 2018-19, Rs 14.34 trillion to be spent by ministries for livelihood promotion in rural areas.

In his last Budget of the term, Jaitley also mentioned that the government remains on track to provide electrification to every household.

When there is no power for few minutes we get anxious. Not only the daily needs we need electricity to charge our mobile phones, laptops etc. Similarly, providing electricity to the poor and underprivileged is of utmost importance. About Rs 16,000 crore to be spent on providing electricity connections to 4 crore poor households across India.

Arun Jaitley

Adding impetus to the Modi government’s flagship Swacch Bharat Abhiyaan, Jaitley said:

Our aim is to construct 2 crore toilets in the next two years.

Jaitley also laid down the pointers of the government’s focus on the lower caste groups.

By 2022, every block – with an ST population of over 50 percent and at least 20,000 tribal people – will have a model residential school.

The Finance Minister also announced few various allocations in the Budget 2018-19 for the upliftment of poor and under-privileged. He added that the government will increase allocation to National Livelihood Mission by Rs 5,750 crore, and provide Rs 2,600 crore to groundwater irrigation.