PM says Budget has farmer, villages in its heart

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has termed the Union Budget for 2021-22 one which not only built the confidence of people in the unprecedented pandemic hit circumstances but also had “the farmer and India’s villages in its heart.”

Speaking via a public broadcast on television after the tabling of the Budget, Mr. Modi commended Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the balancing act that she did looking at the challenges thrown up by COVID-19. “Our government’s response to Corona pandemic has never been reactive but proactive,” he said.

“The budget focusses on increasing farmers’ income; several measures have been taken in this direction. Farmers will be able to get loans easily. Provisions have been made to strengthen Agricultural Produce Marketing Committees (APMC) markets with the help of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund,” he stated.

While many experts apprehended that the burden of getting past the pandemic afflicted economic situation would be put on the ordinary taxpayer, the Budget did not do so, he noted. “The government, while keeping in sync with fiscal sustainability, stressed on increasing the budget size while at the same time did not put pressure on the citizens. Our government has always tried to keep the budget transparent.”.

Mr. Modi said, “We have taken the approach of widening new opportunities for growth, new openings for our youth, a new high to human resources, develop new regions for infrastructure, walking towards technology and bringing in new reform in this budget”.

The Budget would help make the southern States economic powerhouses as well as bring development to the northeastern states and improve human capital in the Union Territory of Ladakh with a new Central University in Leh. “The Budget will bring several positive changes for individuals, investors, industry and infrastructure sector,” he added.