Budget reflects aspirations of 140cr Indians: PM Modi

PM Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the Budget for its futuristic vision, emphasising that it is ambitious and also addresses the country’s aspirations with its focus on a gamut of sectors, including sunrise industry and infrastructure.In his comments after FM Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Budget, a feat he described as historic, Modi said it offers a highway for immense opportunities and strengthens the foundation for India’s bright future while realising its current dreams. He said, “This Budget is a strong foundation for our flight towards a developed India by 2047. It further strengthens India’s global role.” The PM touched on its various highlights, saying its “path-breaking reforms” will render new energy and momentum to India’s “reform expresses” and opens new horizons for its aspirational youth population.“The Budget reflects the aspirations of 140 crore Indians. It strengthens the reform journey and charts a clear roadmap for Viksit Bharat,” he said. India is not satisfied with merely being the fastest growing major economy, but wants to quickly become the third largest economy, he added.“India’s role as a trusted democratic partner of the world and quality supplier is continuously growing. The Budget has taken big steps to ensure that the country’s youth and its small and medium scale industries draw maximum benefits from big trade deals, including the (recent) mother of all deals, it has signed (with the EU),” he said.He said the Budget combines high capex and high growth, and realises the vision of trust-based governance and human-centric economy. The support for sunrise sectors is “unprecedented”, he said, referrig to Biopharma Shakti Mission, rare earth corridors and Semiconductor Mission-2. The PM described it as an ambitious roadmap for ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.Echoing Sitharaman’s declaration of it as a “yuva shakti Budget”, Modi said it will help develop “leaders, innovators and creators” in different sectors. Measures for creating medical hubs, boosting ‘orange economy’ — which covers fields like gaming and audio-visuals — and encouraging tourism and sport industries will open up countless opportunities for the youth.“The Budget strengthens the grounds for balanced development by strengthening various states,” he said, lauding its emphasis on boosting tourism in the North-East.Its proposals for women-run self-help groups, opening girls’ hostels in every district, and agriculture, dairies and fisheries sectors underscore the priority govt has always accorded to women and farmers, he added.