PM Modi trumpets ‘ease of living’, blows poll bugle

NEW DELHI: Thursday saw two Budget speeches being delivered. Just after the finance minister had finished speaking in Lok Sabha, PM Narendra Modi delivered a speech to outline the benefits and the vision of the budget, an exercise that looked like the sounding of the poll bugle.
Unlike the customary post-Budget remarks of his predecessors as well as his own on the last three occasions, the PM spoke for a good 25 minutes, this time detailing provisions of the Budget: an effort which while underlining his imprint on the exercise also reinforced speculation that the government from now on would be in full poll mode with the budget as one of the battle cries.“This Budget strengthens the foundation stone of ‘New India’ with a focus on agriculture to infrastructure. It covers aspects such as health plans for the poor and middle class and it has plans to increase the wealth of small entrepreneurs,” Modi said.
Modi said the emphasis of his government’s last full-year Budget ran from food processing and fibre optics to road and shipping and from rural India to ‘Ayushman India’ and Digital India to Startup India while also addressing the concerns of the youth, senior citizens and women.
The PM invoked the aspirational element of the Budget and promised to boost growth and jobs. “Ease of doing business as well as ease of living are in focus in this Budget.
More savings for the middle class, new generation infrastructure for 21st century India and better health assurance — all are concrete steps towards ease of living,” Modi said. Like the FM Modi, too, made a detailed mention about how the Budget was farmer-friendly.
“I appreciate the decision to provide for one-and-a-half times’ remunerative price for the cost incurred by farmers. The Centre will put in place a sound system in consultation with states to ensure that farmers can avail the full benefits of this decision,” he said.
Budget gives wings to the poor: Shah
BJP president Amit Shah said the “record allocation” for the rural sector and agriculture would lead to unprecedented development and farm growth. “This Budget gives new wings to the aspirations of the poor, farmers and the middle class,” Shah said.
He said there was “tremendous stress” on improving ease of living for the common man and this was happening with improving affordability and access.
He termed ‘Ayushman Bharat’ an unparalleled initiative to ensure health insurance as well as health assurance. Protecting 10 crore families, which is 40% of the population, with a health cover of Rs 5 lakh per family was a global first, he said.
BJP veteran LK Advani said the PM and FM had made India proud by presenting a Budget that combined ambition and empathy of “unprecedented order”.