Budget 2023: Centre to continue 50-year interest-free loans to states

The Central government will continue its 50-year interest-free loans to state governments for one more year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced on Wednesday.

She also said that the enhanced capex of Rs 10 lakh crore for infrastructure development was at 3.3 per cent of the GDP.

Presenting the Budget for 2023-24, the Minister said the newly established Infrastructure Finance Secretariat will assist in attracting more private investment.

An expert committee will also be set up to make infrastructure classification and financing framework suitable for Amrit Kaal, she added.

Gati Shakti

On October 13, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Gati Shakti – National Master Plan aimed at developing an integrated infrastructure to reduce logistics costs.

All logistics and connectivity infrastructure projects, entailing investment of over Rs 500 crore, are routed through the NPG, constituted under the initiative.

Sitharaman said the PM Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) scheme would benefit 3.5 lakh tribals.