Highlights of Budget Session: President's speech

The Budget session has begun with President Pranab Mukherjee addressing a joint session of Parliament. The government will later table the Economic Survey of India. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is scheduled to present the Union Budget on February 1.

Highlights of the President's speech:

* After consecutive years of drought, farmer oriented schemes have been increased. Six per cent increase has been seen from the last year.

* 37 per cent of the Ujjwala beneficiaries belong to the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes.

* Nari shakti is an intergral part of our development journey. They deserve equal opportunity.

* With objective of digitization of all the live Kisan credit cards, 3 crore cards will be converted to RuPay card soon.

* My govt is committed to provide shelter to every houseless poor household through the Pradhan Mantri Aawas Yojana.

* At the core of all my government policies, is the welfare of 'gareeb', 'peedit', 'Dalit', 'vanchhit'.

* Over Rs 2 lakh Crore has been provided through 5.6 crore loans sanctioned under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana.

* Gas connections are being provided to 5 crore households.
 
* My govt has taken many initiatives to improve quality of life of the poor, committed to provide shelter.

* Under Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Yojna, chain to empower women, from the deprived section, over Rs 16,000 crore has been made available to self-help groups (SHG).

* An unprecedented 26 crore plus Jan Dhan accounts have been opened for the unbanked.

* Resilience demonstrated by our countrymen particularly the poor, in the fight against black money and corruption, is remarkable.

* Over 1.2 crore consumers have given up their LPG connections.

* This is a historic session heralding advancement of budget cycle, merger of general budget with rail budget for the first time in independent India.

* Soaring prices of pulses was the matter of great concern around this time last year, my govt took proactive steps, it is now under control.

* Package of Rs 6,000 crore will boost employability of youth. And also add 1.1 crore jobs.

* Minimum wages increased by 42 per cent, both in agricultural and non-agricultural sector.

* 11,000 out of 18,000 villages which were in darkness since independence electrified in record time, says President Pranab Mukherjee.

* Interest rate for senior citizen has been fixed at 8 per cent monthly for a period of 10 year.

* Through 'Stand up India' initiative, over 2.5 lakh SC/ST women entrepreneurship launched with Rs 490 crore.

* The Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana will make clean energy accessible to the poor.

* The revision of Maternity Benefit Act will support pregnant women at the workplace.

* National Apprenticeship Promotion Scheme has been launched with a budget outlay of Rs 10,000 crore.