Interim Budget 2024: Union education minister hails Jai Anusandhan scheme

NEW DELHI: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan lauded the interim budget 2024-25, terming it as the stepping stone to make the country a developed country by 2047. He said that the biggest announcement of the budget is the 'Jai Anusandhan' scheme for which ₹1 lakh crore has been announced as a corpus fund.

The scheme will help private entities to opt for an interest-free loan for 50 years. This will directly benefit the country's new generation, Pradhan added. He expressed gratitude to the prime minister Narendra Modi and finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

“This budget is brilliant, forward-looking, people-centric and growth-stimulating. The budget gives momentum to women-led development, fulfilling aspirations and furthering ease-of-living for all, green growth and employment generation,” he added. The budget positions India for incremental all-round development across sectors, Pradhan said.

The education minister complimented Sitharaman for her far-sighted vision to combine the power of youth and technology in the budget. He said that this budget will pave the way for a golden era of research, innovation and entrepreneurship led by India’s talented Yuva Shakti.

Also read Education Budget 2024: Higher ed sees Rs 9,600 crore cut from RE; UGC funds halved

Union finance minister while presenting the Interim Budget, 2024-25, highlighted the government's unwavering commitment to empowering the youth, notably the Amrit Peedhi - the Yuva.

During the finance minister’s budget speech, the PM SHRI initiative was mentioned as it is ensuring the delivery of high-quality education. “The Skill India Mission has successfully trained 1.4 crore youth, upskilled and reskilled 54 lakh individuals, and established 3,000 new ITIs. A rise of 28% in female enrollment in higher education was a moment of pride. In STEM courses, women now make up an impressive 43% of the total enrollment, marking one of the highest figures globally,” Sitharaman told the Parliament.