Ranchi, Jul 23 (IANS): Amid opposition's strong criticism of the Union Budget presented in Parliament on Tuesday, Jharkhand Finance Minister, Dr. Rameshwar Oraon, has diverged from the fray by expressing admiration for its initiatives aimed at empowering tribal communities and youth.

He specifically commended the ambitious inclusion of 63,000 villages under the Prime Minister's Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan and the commitment to provide apprenticeships to one crore youth across five hundred prominent companies.

Dr. Oraon stressed the importance of assessing these policies at the local level to verify their impact. Regarding the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan, he noted uncertainty about how many villages in Jharkhand would benefit but expressed optimism as an indigenous person.

He mentioned that the Congress party had previously advocated for youth apprenticeships in large companies, echoing Rahul Gandhi's Nyay Yatra where this issue was raised.

Dr. Oraon also highlighted the absence of specific discussions on providing aid to drought-affected states like Jharkhand, which he believed deserved economic assistance in the Budget.

Earlier, during the presentation of the Union Budget 2024-25 in Parliament on Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the launch of the Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan.

She emphasised that this initiative aims to enhance the socio-economic conditions of tribal communities.

Highlighting a 'Saturation Approach' for inclusive human resource development and social justice, the scheme intends to provide comprehensive coverage to tribal families in tribal-majority villages and aspirational districts.

The Pradhan Mantri Janjatiya Unnat Gram Abhiyan aims to encompass 63,000 villages and benefit 5 crore tribal people nationwide.

Nirmala Sitharaman emphasised rural development in her budget, unveiling a series of initiatives aimed at enhancing rural consumption. She allocated Rs 2.66 lakh crore across various government schemes to bolster rural infrastructure and consumption.

Among the key announcements, the PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana will now be extended for five years, benefiting over 80 crore people, according to the Finance Minister. Additionally, funding has been earmarked for the construction of an additional 3 crore houses under the PM Awas Yojana in both rural and urban areas nationwide.