Highlights of union budget for 2009-10 (Second Lead)

NEW DELHI - Highlights of the union budget for the current fiscal presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha Monday:

- Agriculture debt waiver extended by six months

- Outlay for national rural health mission increased by Rs.2,057 crore from the Rs.12,070 crore provided in the interim budget

- Allocation towards National Rural Employment Guarantee Act increased by Rs.39,100 crore

- Allocation for Bharat Nirman scheme increased by 45 percent

- Rs.20 billion for rural housing

- Rural electrification scheme to get Rs.7,000 crore more

- Tax department to work on early introduction of Saral 2 forms

- Stimulus for print media extended from June 13 to Dec 31

- Rs.1,000 crore to accelerate irrigation projects

- Agriculture development fund increased from Rs.2.87 lakh crore to Rs.3.25 lakh crore

- Market development assistance scheme for exporters increased by 148 percent to Rs.124 crore

- Pre-shipment interest subvention set at 2 percent for textile exporters

- Will make sufficient funds for infrastructure development

- Allocation for national highways development stepped up by 23 percent

- Allocation for urban poor schemes to be raised to Rs.39,730 crore in 2009-10

- LNG infrastructure to be expanded

- Allocation for Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission raised by 87 percent to Rs.12,887 crore