PM Modi: Goal to develop 100 airports important for tourism sector

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that the development of 100 airports in the country will be significant to boost the tourism sector. Outlining the key areas of employment, Prime Minister Modi said that such sectors have been given a lot of emphasis on the budget. He was addressing the nation after the Union Budget was presented in the Parliament earlier in the day

"The goal to develop 100 airports in the country is very important for the tourism sector of the country. In tourism, there is more possibility of employment and income generation with lesser investment. The main areas of employment are agriculture, infrastructure, textiles, and technology. In order to increase employment generation, these four have been given a lot of emphasis in this budget", the Prime Minister said.

READ | Budget 2020: FM Sitharaman's New 'optional' Tax Slab With Massive Cuts Explained

Earlier in the day, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced during her Budget speech that 100 more airports would be developed by 2024 to support the UDAN scheme. She also remarked during her Budget presentation that India's Air traffic has grown rapidly as compared to the global average and the air fleet number was expected to go up from the present 600 to 1200 during this time.

READ | Chidambaram Terms Budget 2020 A 'laundry List Of Old Schemes' & 'no Fiscal Consolidation'

Union Budget 2020

This year's Budget assumes tremendous significance as the Indian economy is facing multiple challenges such as a rise in inflation, unemployment, farmer distress and a dip in GDP growth. While beginning her Budget speech, the Finance Minister had said that the focus would be on increasing incomes and elevating purchasing power. She had outlined its three themes - 'Aspirational India, Economic Development for all, and that India shall be a caring society.'

The Budgetary session commenced from January 31 with the budget being presented on February 1. The first phase of the session will conclude on February 11, while the second part of the session will begin from March 2 and end on April 3. On January 31, the government presented the economic survey which gave an overview of how the economy fared in 2019. The Indian economy gained a lead ahead of the UK and France to gain the fifth position in terms of GDP by making a 2.3 trillion dollar economy. According to the economic survey 2020, despite a slowdown in the Indian economy, it has managed to stay afloat in the global slowdown, faring better than the BRICS nations such as Brazil, Russia, South Africa and is on par with China. 

READ | Budget 2020: In Mega Divestment Move, Govt To Sell Part Of Its Holding In LIC Through IPO

READ | Budget 2020: Kisan Rail & Krishi Udan Schemes To Give Farmers Wings, Charge Agriculture

(with ANI inputs)