New Delhi: Arun Jaitely while presenting the Union Budget 2015-16, here today, said that government is committed to supporting employment through MGNREGA and ensure that no one who is poor is left without employment.
The Finance Minister said that the focus is on improving the quality and effectiveness of activities under MGNREGA. He also proposed an initial allocation of Rs. 34,699 crore for the programme in the Budget.
Jaitley said that “while the farmer is no longer in the clutches of the local trader, his produce still does not command the best national price. To increase the incomes of farmers, it is imperative that we create a National agricultural market, which will have the incidental benefit of moderating price rises”.
The FM said that he hoped to garner some additional resources during the year from tax buoyancy and if he was successful, then over and above the budgetary allocation, he would enhance allocations to MGNREGA by `5,000 crore taking it to the highest ever allocation.
The Minister also said he intends this year to work with the States, in NITI, for the creation of a Unified National Agriculture Market.
