Union Budget 2015-16: Boosts agricultural productivity to promote rural welfare

Finance minister Arun Jaitley today said agricultural productivity should increase for the welfare of people residing in rural areas, and added that the government was committed to increasing the area under irrigation to achieve this.

He further stressed the need to increase investment in building infrastructure and improving medical services. He said, increase in agricultural productivity was essential for welfare of rural population and commitment was needed to increase area under irrigation.

Agricultural incomes were under stress; therefore there was a need to increase investment in infrastructure. He added, providing medical facilities to each individual in villages and cities was essential.

Jaitley also emphasised that impetus was needed to be given to domestic manufacturing in order to generate employment. He said two thirds of India's population was below 35, and to ensure employment,the government aimed to make India, a manufacturing hub.

Jaitley said, to ensure a roof for each family in India by 2022, two crore houses in rural India, and our crore houses in urban areas needed to be built.