Central Government's 2024‑25 Budget Policy: New Initiatives in Health, Education, and Digital Infrastructure

The central government has introduced several major policies this year with the aim of accelerating the country's socio‑economic development. New initiatives have been implemented in the sectors of health, education, infrastructure and digital services, among which Ayushman Bharat 2.0, the National Education Reform Scheme and the Rural Internet Coverage Programme are prominent. These policies have been allocated 12.5 lakh crore rupees in the fiscal year 2024‑25 budget, raising expectations of improved access to services in both rural and urban areas. The government believes that these steps will speed up the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Ministry of Finance has allocated 3.2 lakh crore rupees, 2.8 lakh crore rupees and 1.5 lakh crore rupees to the health, education and digital sectors respectively in the budget. These amounts will be distributed between the central and state governments in a 60:40 ratio, enabling the rapid commencement of projects at the state level. Under the scheme, the goal for the next two years is to construct 15,000 new health facilities, install modern educational equipment in 10,000 schools, and provide high‑speed internet connectivity in 25 lakh villages.

Under the Ayushman Bharat 2.0 scheme, economically vulnerable 12 crore families will be provided with a health insurance cover of 5,000 rupees per year. The scheme will expand the existing insurance network by 30 percent, reaching a total of 1.2 lakh hospitals, including primary health centres in rural areas. Additionally, 2,500 new digital health classrooms will be established to strengthen tele‑medicine services, enabling patients in remote areas to receive specialist advice.

In the National Education Reform Scheme, digital curricula will be made mandatory in all classes starting from the 2024‑25 academic year. By 2025, 1.8 crore students will be given free access to an online learning platform, and 20,000 teachers will be empowered through new technical training programmes. Additionally, 5,000 new skill‑development institutions will be established to promote vocational education, providing industry‑oriented training to the youth. This initiative aims to generate employment and reduce the skill gap.

As part of the expansion of the Digital India Mission, the Rural Internet Coverage Programme will lay fiber‑optic networks in 30 lakh villages by 2025. A public‑private partnership model with private telecom companies has been adopted in this process, allowing investment costs to be reduced by up to 40 percent. Moreover, under the ‘Smart City’ initiative launched in 2024, public Wi‑Fi hubs are being installed in 50 cities, providing citizens with fast and secure internet services.

The implementation of these comprehensive policies aims to advance economic stability, social inclusion and technological progress in a balanced manner, positioning India to attain a competitive standing on the global stage.