As part of the Union Budget 2022, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, "For developing India-specific knowledge in urban planning and design and to deliver certified training in these areas, up to five existing academic institutions in different regions will be designated as centres for excellence."
These centres will provide certified training courses in urban planning and they will be provided with an endowment fund of Rs 250 crore each. The Finance Minister added, "In addition, the AICTE (All India Council for Technical Education) will take the lead to improve syllabi, quality and access to urban planning courses in other institutions."
The Finance Minister tabled the budget at 11 am on February 1. President Ram Nath Kovind kicked off the Budget Session of the Parliament on January 31, following which FM Sitharaman presented the Economic Survey.
Last year's budget was the first one to be presented amid the COVID-19 pandemic and extensive farmers' protest. Announcing the Economic Survey last year, she had pegged the GDP growth at 11 per cent in the Financial Year 2021-22. But the Indian economy has come close to the projection. Advance estimates suggest that the Indian economy is expected to witness a real GDP expansion of 9.2 per cent in 2021-22, after contracting in 2020-21, said the latest Economic Survey.
Last year, the Union Budget allotted resources towards Aatmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan extensively, be it in the social sector, energy, government reforms, migrant workers or agriculture. While the National Education Policy was the focus, the education sector saw a budgetary slash of 6 per cent from Rs 99 crores to Rs 93.2 crores last year.
