After introducing the Direct Benefit Transfer System on Aadhar platform, the Budget is likely to consolidate Centrally Sponsored Schemes into a smaller number and give “States the much-needed freedom to experiment and innovate.”

As job creation is a primary concern of the Government in the period of economic slowdown, the upcoming Budget is likely give incentives and fiscal sops to the manufacturing sector.

“My Government remains committed to increasing the share of manufacturing to 25% of GDP and creating 100 million jobs within a decade,” President Pranab Mukherjee said in his address to the joint session of the Parliament on the opening day of the Budget session.

Saying that people are concerned about the security of women and children, the President said : “They are also anxious about timely delivery of their entitlements and about persisting social and economic inequality.”

Mentioning Government’s commitment to enacting the National Food Security Bill on basis of the Standing Committee recommendations, the President indicated the need for creation of storage capacities in light of the projected foodgrains production of more than 250 million tonne. The year 2012-13 being the Year of Horticulture, the Budget is likely to give a fillip to the cold chain sector.

Budgetary allocation for the animal husbandry is expected to rise, particularly in view of the approved National Dairy Plan Phase-I which will help to meet the projected national demand of 150 million tonne of milk by 2016-17.
Increased allocations and sops are also expected for the fertiliser sector for creating nearly 100 lakh tonne of additional urea production capacity by 2017. Other areas where the Budget is likely to concentrate on irrigation and efficient water use in light of challenges of climate change, equity, social justice and sustainability, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Indira Awas Yojana, National Drinking Water Programme, Total Sanitation Campaign which has been modified as Nirmal Bharat Abhiyan, pension schemes for widows, disabled and old age, educational empowerment of minority communities, women, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

The mid-day meal programme will be expanded to cover pre-primary schools.

“The next phase of the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission is being finalized,” the President said and added :
“In order to give a push to capacity building efforts of Urban Local Bodies, the Government has decided to create a separate fund of ` 1,000 crore.”

The Government will also extend the Rajiv Awas Yojana to all small and medium towns, with a target of one million houses in the 12th Plan.

For holistic development of children, the Government has approved the restructuring and strengthening of the Integrated Child Development Scheme during the 12th Plan with a total outlay of `1,23,580 crore.

“The National Mission for Empowerment of Women will implement a pilot project in public hospitals in 100 districts, called One Stop Crisis Centre, a specialized facility for providing all necessary services for women subjected to violence,” the President said.

On higher education, the President said : “My Government is considering a strategic shift in central funding to states for higher education through a new programme called the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan. This programme will encourage states to develop comprehensive higher education plans in an integrated manner to address the issues of expansion, equity and excellence.”

An overarching National Health Mission, covering both rural and urban areas, will be launched. The Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram will cover 270 million children in the country.

“With a view to providing further support to handloom weavers, the Government is considering a scheme for concessional credit for the handloom sector to benefit about 10 lakh handloom weavers,” the President said.
Regarding Railway Budget, the President said : “The Dedicated Freight Corridor project is an ambitious mega project connecting our Eastern and Western Coasts with the interiors of the country and will cover 3300 km of railway track. Construction of over 1000 km route length is expected to begin shortly,” the President said.

“Innovative approaches under the PPP mode are being launched for first- and-last-mile projects and development of railway stations,” he said.

A length of 2900 km of highways will be put under the Operate, Maintain and Transfer system, which will improve road maintenance. “To improve connectivity from Kashmir Valley to Kargil-Ladakh region, a tunnel of 6.5 km has already been approved and another tunnel of 13 km is planned. This would ensure all weather connectivity,” the President said.

The President informed that the Government proposes to establish two new major ports, one at Sagar Island in West Bengal and the other in Andhra Pradesh with a total additional capacity of around 100 Million Tonnes Per Annum.
Geological Survey of India has planned to complete the geophysical and geochemical mapping of highly promising 5.71 lakh square km area during the 12th Plan. For developing deep sea mineral exploration capability, an Ocean Going Research Vessel is likely to be commissioned in 2013.

“My Government has decided to put in place a long-term plan for training of sports-persons in select disciplines. My Government also intends to put in place a new system for identification of sports talent from the panchayat to the district level,” the President informed.

The first phase of the plan for improving road connectivity in 34 most affected districts at a cost of `7,300 crore is likely to be completed by March, 2015.

Government will endeavour to establish Gram Nyayalayas for ensuring affordable and expeditious justice to the common man. My Government proposes to introduce the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill in this session as a significant initiative towards judicial reforms.

Several space missions are planned for 2013, including India`s first mission to Mars and the launch of our first navigational satellite.

The President mentioned some of the Bills to be tabled by the Government in Parliament . “My Government remains committed to ushering in reforms for greater transparency, probity, integrity and accountability in governance. To this end, my Government attaches priority to the enactment of legislation proposed in the Whistle Blowers’ Protection Bill, the Prevention of Bribery of Foreign Public Officials and Officials of Public International Organizations Bill, Citizens` Right to Grievance Redress Bill, and The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Bill, which already stand introduced in the Parliament. My Government is also considering amendments to the Prevention of Corruption Act to punish the guilty and protect the honest public servants more effectively,” he said.

Government also proposes to introduce a Constitutional Amendment Bill in Parliament to give effect to the provisions of the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh and its 2011 Protocol, which will strengthen border management and security.