Delhi: In keeping with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s ‘inclusive growth’ mantra, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee Monday announced a slew of schemes for the aam aadmi (common man). The major measures announced in his union budget for 2009-10 are:

- Allocation towards National Rural Employment Guarantee Act increased by Rs.39,100 crore

- Agriculture debt waiver extended by six months

- Outlay for national rural health mission increased by Rs.2,057 crore from the Rs.12,070 crore provided in the interim budget

- Allocation for Bharat Nirman scheme increased by 45 percent

- Rs.20,000 crore for rural housing

- Rural electrification scheme to get Rs.7,000 crore more

- Agriculture development fund increased from Rs.2.87 lakh crore to Rs.3.25 lakh crore

- Allocation for urban poor schemes to be raised to Rs.39,730 crore

- LNG infrastructure to be expanded

- National Housing Bank to get Rs.2,000 crore for rural housing funds

Higher education outlay increased by Rs.2,000 crore over interim budget

- Income tax exemption limit for senior citizens increased by Rs.15,000, for women and others by 10,000 each

- Duties on life saving drugs reduced

- Allocation for the minority affairs ministry raised to Rs.1,740 crore

- Banking services in under-banked areas to be increased, scheme allocated Rs.100 crore

- Rs.1,000 crore to accelerate irrigation projects

- Allocation for Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission raised by 87 percent to Rs.12,887 crore

Courtesy : Mathrubhumi Daily