Date: 03-Feb-2025, India Union Budget, India – Infrastructure Focussed Announcement [Source: https://www.indiabudget.gov.in/ ] 1. Our Government has added almost 1.1 lakh UG and PG medical education seats in ten years, an increase of 130 per cent. In the next year, 10,000 additional seats will be added in medical colleges and hospitals, towards the goal of adding 75,000 seats in the next 5 years. 2. Our Government will facilitate setting up of Day Care Cancer Centres in all district hospitals in the next 3 years. 200 Centres will be established in 2025-26. 3. Total number of students in 23 IITs has increased 100 per cent from 65,000 to 1.35 lakh in the past 10 years. Additional infrastructure will be created in the 5 IITs started after 2014 to facilitate education for 6,500 more students. Hostel and other infrastructure capacity at IIT, Patna will also be expanded. 4. I had announced three Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for agriculture, health, and sustainable cities in 2023. Now a Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence for education will be set up with a total outlay of ` 500 crore. 5. UDAN has enabled 1.5 crore middle-class people to meet their aspirations for speedier travel. The scheme has connected 88 airports and operationalized 619 routes. Inspired by that success, a modified UDAN scheme will be launched to enhance regional connectivity to 120 new destinations and carry 4 crore passengers in the next 10 years. The scheme will also support helipads and smaller airports in hilly, aspirational, and North East region districts. 6. Greenfield airports will be facilitated in Bihar to meet the future needs of the State. These will be in addition to the expansion of the capacity of Patna airport and a brownfield airport at Bihta. 7. Each infrastructure-related ministry will come up with a 3-year pipeline of projects that can be implemented in PPP mode. States will also be encouraged to do so and can seek support from the IIPDF (India Infrastructure Project Development Fund) scheme to prepare PPP proposals. 8. An outlay of ` 1.5 lakh crore is proposed for the 50-year interest free loans to states for capital expenditure and incentives for reforms. 9. Top 50 tourist destination sites in the country will be developed in partnership with states through a challenge mode. Land for building key infrastructure will have to be provided by states. Hotels in those destinations will be included in the infrastructure HML. 10. We will start a National Geospatial Mission to develop foundational geospatial infrastructure and data. Using PM Gati Shakti, this Mission will facilitate modernization of land records, urban planning, and design of infrastructure projects. 11. A national framework will be formulated as guidance to states for promoting Global Capability Centres in emerging tier 2 cities. This will suggest 16 measures for enhancing availability of talent and infrastructure, building byelaw reforms, and mechanisms for collaboration with industry. 12. Our Government will facilitate upgradation of infrastructure and warehousing for air cargo including high value perishable horticulture produce. Cargo screening and customs protocols will be streamlined and made user friendly. 13. NaBFID will set up a ‘Partial Credit Enhancement Facility’ for corporate bonds for infrastructure. 14. Category I and category II AIFs are undertaking investments in infrastructure and other such sectors. I propose to provide certainty of taxation to these entities on the gains from securities. 15. To promote funding from Sovereign Wealth Funds and Pension Funds to the infrastructure sector, I propose to extend the date of making an investment by five more years, to 31st March, 2030. 16. Shipbuilding Clusters will be facilitated to increase the range, categories and capacity of ships. This will include additional infrastructure facilities, skilling and technology to develop the entire ecosystem. 17. The Government will set up an Urban Challenge Fund of ` 1 lakh crore to implement the proposals for ‘Cities as Growth Hubs’, ‘Creative Redevelopment of Cities’ and ‘Water and Sanitation’ announced in the July Budget.