Hospitality is one of the sectors that has been hit hard by the successive waves of the pandemic. But the Budget 2022 focusing on supporting the sector, infuses a new lease of life for the industry which plays the role of significant economic multiplier .
National Ropeways Development Programme to be taken up in PPP model as a sustainable alternative to roadways in difficult terrain in addition to promoting tourism; 8 ropeway projects covering a distance of 60 kilometers to be awarded in 2022-23.
Hospitality and related services MSMEs are yet to reach pre-pandemic levels - ECLGS will be extended to March 2023. Guarantee cover will be expanded by INR 50,000 crores to a total cover of INR 5 Lakh crores.
Skilling programs with industry will be reoriented and will promote continuous skilling. The National Skill Qualification Framework will be aligned with dynamic industry needs.
PM Development Initiative for the North East will be implemented through the North Eastern Council. It will fund infrastructure in the spirit of PM Gati Shakti and social development based on needs of the North East. Will specifically benefit youth and women of the North East. An initial corpus of INR 1,500 crore will be made and an initial list of projects is given in the annexure of the Budget speech.
Sanitation: Current coverage of Har Ghar Nal Se Jal is 8.7 crore households. Out of this, 5.5 crore households were provided tap water in the last two years itself. Allocation of INR 60,000 crore is made with an aim to cover 3.8 crore households in 2022-23.
400 new Vande bharat trains will be developed and manufactured in the next three years with better efficiency and passenger experience
Border villages with sparse population, limited connectivity and infrastructure often get left out from development gains. Such villages on the Northern Border will be covered under a new Vibrant Villages Program. Activities will include construction of village infrastructure, housing, tourist centers, road connectivity, provision of decentralized renewable energy, DTH access of DD and education channels, and also support for livelihood generation. Additional funding to be provided and existing schemes to be converged.
E Passports: Issuance of E passports using embedded chips and futuristic technology will be rolled out in 2022-23 for convenience of overseas travel.
Draft DPR for 5 river links (Daman Ganga Pinjal, Par Tapi Narmada, Godavari Krishna, Krishna Pennar, Peenar Kaveri) have been finalized. Once a consensus is reached among beneficiary states, the centre will provide support for their implementation.
