The Finance Minister outlines the focus areas for 2009-10

General Budget 2009-10 

The Minister of Finance Shri Pranab Mukherjee has outlined the focus areas to anchor its policy frame work for 2009-10. While presenting the Budget proposal for the year 2009-10, in Lok Sabha today, he pointed out that the policies in a medium term perspective would have to pay attention to :- 

(a) sustain a growth rate of at least 9 percent per annum over an extended period of time; 

(b) strengthen the mechanisms for inclusive growth for creating about 12 million new work opportunities per year; 

(c) reduce the proportion of people living below poverty line to less than half from current levels by 2014; 

(d) ensure that Indian agriculture continues to grow at an annual rate of 4 per cent; 

(e) increase the investment in infrastructure to more than 9 per cent of GDP by 2014; 

(f) support Indian industry to met the challenge of global competition and sustain the growth momentum in exports; 

(g) strengthen and improve the economic regulatory frame work in the country; 

(h) expand the range and reach of social safety nets by providing direct assistance to vulnerable sections; 

(i) strengthen the delivery mechanism for primary health care facilities with a view to improve the preventive and curative health care in the country. 

(j) create a competitive progressive and well regulated education system of global standards that meets the aspiration of all segments of the society; and 

(k) move towards providing energy security by pursuing an Integrated Energy Policy.