Union Budget to help realise vision of developed India: Min

Varanasi: Union minister of state for rural development Kamlesh Paswan said Central Budget 2026, led Prime Minister Narendra Modi, would help realise vision of developed India.

Addressing press at Circuit House here on Saturday, Paswan termed the budget as a roadmap for empowerment of youth, poor, women, farmers and middle class. Taking infrastructure and capital investment to new heights, India would move forward at a fast pace, while generating employment on large scale and strengthening economic activities, he said. "This year's budget will accelerate ease of doing business, railways, health, youth, agriculture, air services, villages, poor farmers and all sectors," he said, adding that central govt gave a capital expenditure of Rs 12.2 lakh crore and a historic budget of Rs 53 lakh crore to modernise the country with excellent roads and bridges in the country. Highlighting its components, including relief to middle class in tax collected at source, completely waiving custom duty on 17 life-saving cancer medicines, promise to build one girls' hostel in every district and opening of SHE-MART by village women in cities and the world, Paswan said seven new high-speed rail corridors, including Delhi-Varanasi, would make traveling faster. Paswan also highlighted how the budget aimed at supporting small industries, restarting old closed factories and giving new life to 200 old industrial areas (clusters). He said there was recession all over the world, but India's economy was strong as a rock, keeping its fiscal deficit at 4.3% of gross domestic product. He said India was now fourth largest economy in the world and would reach the third place.Talking about developments in Varanasi since PM Modi won from here in 2014, Paswan said transformation of Kashi in 10 years had surprised the world. The divine and grand form of Kashi Vishwanath Corridor reflected the PM's determination to preserve heritage along with development, he added.