The first full budget of Modi government 2.0 will be here in a matter of days. Speculations on what Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman may or may not do in her maiden budget are hitting a fever pitch. To get a sense of the broad policy trajectory that she may opt for, here's a recap of the template set by stand-in finance minister Piyush Goyal in February's interim budget.
* Railways operating ratio seen at 96.2% in FY19 Vs 95% FY20.
* Capex for FY20 pegged at a record Rs 1.6 lakh crore
* Not even a single unmanned railway crossing on broad gauge lines anywhere
* Rs 6,000 a year assured income support for small and marginal farmers
* Under the scheme to be effective from 1 December 2018, farmers having up to 2 hectares of land to get Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments
* Interest subvention on farm loans; farmers affected by natural calamities to get 2% interest subvention and additional 3% interest subvention upon timely repayment
* 2% interest subvention to farmers who pursue animal husbandry, fisheries jobs through Kisaan credit cards
* Kamdhenu scheme for animal husbandry
* Defence budget increased to over Rs 3 lakh crore; govt to provide additional funds if needed.
* Disbursals under OROP at Rs 35,000 crore in the last few years
* Full exemption for those whose taxable income is less than Rs 5 lakh a year
* Standard deduction to be increased to Rs 50,000 from Rs 40,000 for the salaried
* 1 lakh digital villages to be built
* In a historic decision with regard to welfare of farmers and for doubling their income, MSP to be raised by 1.5 times the production cost for 22 crops
* Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana, a programme to give 8 crore free LPG connections to rural households, to ensure cleaner fuel and health assurance; 6 crore connections already given
* A committee to be set up under NITI Aayog for denotifed nomadic & semi-nomadic communities
