New Delhi, Feb. 1 -- The Union budget has laid emphasis on education and upskilling, aimed at reducing the skill gap in the country that has often led to productivity loss and a lack of employment opportunities.

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday rolled out a plethora of initiatives that included broadband connectivity to schools and skilling centres, and increasing the capacity of leading engineering and medical colleges to ease the competition for a seat.

"Broadband connectivity will be provided to all government secondary schools and primary health centres in rural areas under the BharatNet project," Sitharaman said in her budget speech in Lok Sabha.BharatNet is the government's telecommunications initiative to provide b...