Sudhir Kumar / NEW DELHI
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today said the public investment in social infrastructures like education, health and other services was a key determinant of quality of life of the people.
She said the government was committed for improving the educational standards, skilling the youth, enhancing job opportunities, empowering women and improving human development to have an inclusive development. Mrs Sitharaman said this at her 5th Pre-Budget Consultation Meeting with the stakeholders from Social Sector Groups here today.
An official release said the main areas of discussion during the meeting included issues relating to Health, education, Private and Public Education, Social Protection, Pensions and Human Development among others.
The stakeholders of Social Sector gave a wide range of suggestions including a focus on education and hygiene particularly for rural women, an audit of cities to identify security gaps to strengthen women safety, increased budgetary allocation towards nutrition of infants and pregnant mothers and provision of free drugs and diagnostic facilities.