Venture Capital Fund to Promote Entrepreneurship Among the Scheduled Castes Mechanism for Marketing Minor Forest Produce Introduced

While delivering his Interim Budget Speech the Union Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram informed the House that in order to promote entrepreneurship among the scheduled castes and to provide concessional finance to them, IFCI will set-up a Venture Capital Fund of Rs. 200 crore, which can be supplemented every year.

The Finance Minister Shri Chidambaram further informed the House that restructured ICDS will be rolled-out in all districts from 1.4.2014.

Government has approved the National Agro-Forestry Policy 2014 which has multiple objectives including employment, productivity, conservation and adaptation.

The Finance Minister Shri P. Chidambaram informed the House that the Government has also taken other major social sector initiatives during the current financial year i.e. 2013-14. 

These initiatives are: 

• A mechanism for marketing minor forest produce has been introduced, and the Budget has allocated Rs. 444.59 crore to continue the scheme in 2014-15.
• An allocation of Rs. 100 crore has been approved to promote community radio stations.
• Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has delivered new technologies to the people: the JE vaccine, a diagnostic test for Thalassaemia, and a Magnivisualizer for detection of cervical cancer.