Government to bring greater ease of living through technology

LED bulb mission method to be used to promote solar stoves and battery chargers

Government to launch a massive programme of railway station modernization to make railway travel pleasant

Government aims to bring greater ease of living in the lives of its citizens.  Digital payments are gaining acceptance everywhere including by the Government. Use of technology is an effective way to ensure ease of living.  This was stated by Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget 2019-20 in Parliament today.

The Finance Minister said that about 30 lakh workers have joined the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan. The Scheme aims at providing ₹ 3,000 per month as pension on attaining the age of 60 to crores of workers in unorganized and informal sectors.  It was launched on 5^th March, 2019 by Prime Minister at Ahmedabad.     

UJALA Yojana

The Finance Minister said that maintaining a cleaner environment and ensuring sustainable energy use is vital for good quality of life and ease of living.  She said, “A programme of mass scaling up of LED bulbs for widespread distribution at household level was taken up resulting into massive replacement of incandescent bulbs and CFLs in the country. Approximately 35 crore LED bulbs have been distributed under UJALA Yojana leading to cost saving of ₹ 18,341 crores annually. India is going to be free of incandescent bulbs and CFL use has already become miniscule. We will use the approach of mission LED bulb method to promote the use of solar stoves and battery chargers in the country”.

Railway Station Modernisation

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that Government will launch a massive programme of railway station modernization this year to make railway travel a pleasant and satisfying experience for the common citizen.

Ease of living through technology-digital payments, energy-efficient programmes and infrastructure upgrades to improve public services. The Government will enhance public convenience through technology by promoting digital payments and using the Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan pension scheme to extend monthly pensions to eligible unorganised workers. Complementary measures include mass deployment of LED bulbs under UJALA and applying that approach to solar stoves and battery chargers, alongside a large-scale railway station modernisation programme to improve passenger experience.