Budget 2023 preparing India for a brighter future: Piyush Goyal

New Delhi [India], February 1 : Union Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday hailed the Union Budget 2023-24 and said that this budget is preparing India for a brighter future.
Speaking to ANI, the Union Minister said, "This was the first budget to make India a developed country. It was a well-thought-out budget has been introduced today by the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman which will strengthen the country for a long time and creating a foundation for the economy. This is a budget that concerns every class."
He said that the entire budget is full of jobs and opportunities adding that the budget is a bonanza for 140 crore people.
"This budget is a bonanza for the 140 crore people living in this country. This is a budget that thinks about people from all sectors and will be a source of employment. The world has appreciated PM Modi's role in handling the economy of the country," said Goyal.
The Minister said that the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister have created this budget, its impact will be great on people from all sectors, adding that this is a record budget for Defence, Railways and Medical sectors.
"This budget will touch 140 crore Indians and will impact their lives for a better future and prepare India to enter into Amrit Kaal with great confidence as a country which is working to a plan to make India a nation where everybody grows as the economy grows," said the Commerce Minister.
On the Opposition election budget claim, Goyal said, "If you see there is a consistency in this budget. They are alleging that the budget has been made keeping the election in mind. Tell me when Rs 3.5 lakh crore was spent on infrastructure in the year 2019-20 as capital expenditure when it was increased from Rs 3.5 lakh crore to Rs 5.5 lakh crore, then what kind of elections were being held? When it was increased from Rs 5.5 lakh crore to Rs 7.5 lakh crore then also which elections were being held?"
"The FM has shown his consistency in the budget and has shown the thinking of PM Modi, who cares for every class without any discrimination. Elections budgets are those where 'rewris' are distributed. This budget empowers 140 crore people and in this, an attempt has been made to empower everyone. This budget is preparing India for a brighter future," said Goyal.
He further said that the relief given from 43 per cent to 39 per cent is in a way a recognition of the contribution of each one and the biggest concern in this budget is the welfare of the middle class and the poor.
When asked about the growth, the Union Minister said that the benefits that have come out of this budget have been widely recognised and hailed by every section of society.
"Infrastructure experts, industry experts, importers and exporters, educationists, people associated with the health sector almost every sector has widely acclaimed this budget as a very balanced budget. It's a step in the right direction for fiscal consolidation also, therefore, economists are happy with this budget. Since the focus is on Infrastructure people recognise that this is preparing the nation for the long run and therefore growth will be the natural outcome of this budget. But the beauty of this budget is it will lead to inclusive growth not just growth. It will lead to sustainable growth giving the focus on green energy and therefore, I can say with full confidence the whole world today recognises India as the fastest-growing large economy.
He said that the whole world believes India will give a big push to a global economy.
"In the years to come India will be the bright star, it is the bright star but will continue to be the bright star in the years to come," he added.
Further hitting out at the Opposition he said that they are making the same typical and standard comments.
"Sadly, some of my friends and colleagues in the Opposition are unable to digest that and therefore, they are shooting in the dark. They are making typical and standard comments. Little realizing that the world and the people are smarter. It is the people who understand and know everything and that's why they have unwavering faith in PM Modi," said Goyal.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the "first budget of Amrit Kaal" and said that it would lay a strong foundation for building a developed India. The Prime Minister said that the budget gives priority to the deprived and will fulfill the dreams of the aspirational society, the farmers, and the middle class.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2023 today in Lok Sabha. This was the third time in a row that the government presented the budget in a paperless form.
Highlights of the budget presented by the Union Finance Minister included big incentives under the new income tax regime.
The IT rebate limit in the new regime has been increased from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 7 lakh and the new tax regime will be the default tax regime, the Finance Minister said. Capital expenditure outlay has been increased by 33 per cent to Rs 10 lakh crore, accounting for 3.3 per cent of the GDP.