Published 15:21 IST, February 1st 2021
'Fulfilled all expectations': NITI Aayog VC Rajiv Kumar hails Union Budget 2021-2022
NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar has commended Finance Minister Sitharaman and stated that the budget has raised a lot of expectations for the country.
As Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam presented Union Budget 2021-2022 on Monday, NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar has commended her and stated that the budget has raised a lot of expectations for the country. In addition, Rajiv Kumar also remarked that the budget will accelarate India's growth rate.
'Fulfilled all expectations'
Putting forward his views on the budget, Kumar added that the Finance Minister has raised expectation and fulfilled all of them. In addition, he also expressed hope that the Union budget is focussed on the country's growth rate. Moreover, the NITI Aayog Vice Chairman also spoke about defence expenditure. Acknowledging that Sitharaman's speech did not mention defence sector, he opined that expenditure pertaining to it is important, but 'less connected' to India's progress.
Budget proposals rest on 6 pillars: FM Nirmala Sitharaman
- Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman stated that the budget 2021-2022 proposals are based on the following six pillars.
- Health & well-being
- Physical & financial capital & infrastructure
- Inclusive development for aspirational India
- Reinvigorating human capital
- Innovation & R&D
- Minimum Govt and Maximum Governance
Centre's efforts during COVID-19 lockdown
Highlighting the Centre's efforts to tackle the situation during lockdown, Sitharaman remarked that "The Government stretched its resources for the benefit of the poorest of the poor. The PM Garib Kalyan Yojana, the three Aatma Nirbhar Bharat packages, and subsequent announcements were like five mini-budgets in themselves."
While talking about the role played by self-reliant India or Atmanirbhar Bharat package in 2020, she stated, "In May 2020, Government announced the Atmanirbhar Bharat package, to sustain the recovery further we also rolled out two more Atmanirbhar packages. The total financial impact of all packages including measures taken by RBI was estimated to be about Rs 27.1 lakh crores."
"Within 48 hours of announcing a three-month-long complete lockdown, the Prime Minister had announced the Pradhan Mantri Gareeb Kalyan Yojna valued at 2.76 lakh crores which provided free food and grains to 800 million people, free cooking gas for 80 million families for months, and cash directly to over 400 million farmers," the FM said while focussing on the contribution of the PM Garib Kalyan Yojana.
Updated 15:21 IST, February 1st 2021