Budget 2025-26 Urban Development, Housing and Gig Workers
Why in the news
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman used the Budget 2025-26 speech to unveil a package for city modernisation, housing, gig workers and street vendors.
Key facts
- Urban Challenge Fund: ₹1 lakh crore corpus; ₹10,000 crore in 2025-26.
- Gig workers: one crore to receive ID cards and be enrolled on the e-Shram portal.
- Street vendors: UPI-linked credit cards with a ₹30,000 limit under PM SVANidhi.
- SWAMIH Fund 2: ₹15,000 crore blended finance for stalled housing.
Urban Challenge Fund
- Backs Cities as Growth Hubs, Creative Redevelopment, and Water and Sanitation.
- Fund support covers up to 25% of a project’s cost; a further 50% is expected from bonds, bank loans or PPPs.
Other measures
| Measure | Detail |
|---|---|
| National Geospatial Mission | Better land records, town planning; uses PM Gati Shakti framework |
| Urban workers initiative | Income, sustainable livelihoods, quality of life |
| PM SVANidhi | More bank credit, capacity building; over 68 lakh vendors helped |
| SWAMIH | 50,000 units done; 40,000 more due in 2025 |
Exam angle
- SWAMIH = Special Window for Affordable and Mid-Income Housing.
- Health cover for gig workers: PM Jan Arogya Yojana.