In her seventh budget speech, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said that the government would formulate an economic policy framework to delineate the strategy for sustaining high growth with next generation reforms. This is to cover all factors of productions, land, labour and capital. For this, collaboration with Centre and States is required, the Finance Minister said.

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A significant part of a 50 year interest free loan is proposed to be earmarked to work with the States on a slew of reforms. This includes land related reforms in both urban and rural areas, which covers land administration, planning and urban planning and building bye-laws. Rural land related actions will include assignment a unique Aadhaar for all lands, digitisation of terrestrial maps, survey of lands, and establishment of land registry. Land records in urban areas are also to be digitised to help improve the finances of urban bodies in the country.

Ms. Sitharaman also announced that Digital Public infrastructure will be developed for agriculture. After a successful pilot project, we will partner with States to cover farmers and their lands in three years, she said, adding that it will be taken up in 400 districts this year. The porject is expected to cover six crore farmers.

Further, she said that the government will provide support under the Accelerated Irrigation Programme and other sources for projects with an estimated cost of Rs 11,500 crore.