The basic idea is downsizing the government and there are many estimates of surplus staff in government departments and public enterprises. Surplus staff is partly due to our philosophy of employment generation regardless of cost. In a market driven economy, efficiency will also be applied to the public sector. The Pay Commission also recommended downsizing. For large public concerns, restructuring is needed to cope with global competition and improved efficiency.
Details are yet to be worked out.
There is nothing directly to help the poor. The long-term solution to eliminate poverty is via growth and public sector programmes targeted at the poor. There are a few programmes in the Budget targeted at scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and poor women. This Budget gives a special thrust to the development of technical education, particularly IITs. It has also an educational loan programme to help the deserving poor to pursuit higher education in India or abroad.