Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the Narendra Modi central government had taken effective measures to achieve the target of making India a $5 trillion dollar economy. Shah congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for an “all-round, welfare-oriented” Budget.
“In this budget, the Modi government has taken effective steps to rationalise the tax system, boost the basic infrastructure, strengthen the banking system, promote investment, and ease of doing business, which will further Modi government’s resolve to make India a 5 trillion-dollar economy,” Shah tweeted. The salaried middle class, businesses, farmers and the poor would benefit from the announcements as taxpayers in all categories had been provided “unprecedented relief”, he added.
Shah said the Budget would make significant contributions to fulfill the Modi government’s resolve of doubling the income of farmers by 2022 by providing them correct prices for their produce. The minister said the Centre’s schemes for irrigation and crop storage will help farmers.
The home minister said the introduction of the “Kisan Rail” and “Kisan Udan” schemes would help farmers connect to national and global markets, and their produce would be sold for better prices. “This scheme will specially benefit fruit and vegetable farmers, especially the Adivasi and those in the North East,” he added.
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Bharatiya Janata Party President Jagat Prakash Nadda said the budget was inspired by the ruling party’s “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas [Development for all with everyone’s trust]” ideology. “This budget gives impetus to fulfilment of aspirations of the middle income groups,” he tweeted. “Home for all, subsidy for first-time homebuyers, relaxations in income tax, funds allocation for development of SC/ST [Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe] community, schemes like Jal Jeevan Mission have been announced.”
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh praised the Budget, saying it will revive growth and rejuvenate demand in the economy. “The first budget of the new decade presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gives an outline of a new and confident India,” he added. “It is a promising, proactive and progressive budget which will make India healthy and wealthy in coming years.”
He said the budget focused on the welfare and development of all sections of the society with a special attention to farmers. “The budget also promises the investors, tax payers and wealth creators a predictable environment by assuring them of protection against tax harassment,” Singh added.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath congratulated Sitharaman and Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a “development oriented and pro-farmer budget”. He added that it will further strengthen the economy.
Union minister Smriti Irani said the Budget reflected the government’s commitment to the welfare of the women. “Budget puts wellness and socio-economic empowerment of women at the forefront,” she tweeted.
Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan called it a “historic Budget”, ANI reported. “This budget is women, farmer, youth, middle class and poor centric,” he added. “I congratulate Finance Minister Sitharaman for this courageous Budget.”
Pradhan also lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for saying the Budget was hollow. “A person who is hollow himself, will find everything hollow,” he added. “I request Rahul Gandhi to educate himself, stay in the country, learn about it and have a positive mindset. Then he will be able to contribute to the country as Opposition.”
Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa hailed the Budget for offering new services and amenities without proposing additional taxes, PTI reported. “I congratulate Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for presenting a unique Budget which does not add any extra tax burden on people, but offers many facilities,” he said at a press conference in Bengaluru. “This Budget is a boon for farmers. It’s a clear reflection of the prime minister’s desire to double farmers’ income by 2022.”
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