New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday proposed the creation of a high-powered ‘Education to Employment and Enterprise’ standing committee aimed at strengthening India’s services sector as a “core driver of Viksit Bharat.”
Speaking on the initiative, Sitharaman said, “The Committee will prioritise areas to optimise the potential for growth, employment and exports. They will also assess the impact of emerging technologies, including AI, on jobs and skill requirements and propose measures thereof.” She highlighted that the goal is to position India as a global leader in services with a 10% share of the global market by 2047.
The Finance Minister also announced plans to support women entrepreneurs through SHE (Self-help Entrepreneur) Marks, which will be set up as community-owned retail outlets to provide platforms for female-led businesses.
On urban development, Sitharaman said infrastructure projects will continue in cities with a population of over 5 lakh, focusing on tier-2 and tier-3 cities to ensure balanced regional growth.
Addressing climate and sustainability, the Budget proposes an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore over the next five years for Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) technologies, aimed at scaling up adoption and readiness for end-use applications across industries.
“These initiatives collectively aim to create employment, foster entrepreneurship, and strengthen India’s global competitiveness,” the Finance Minister added.