Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her third union budget in Parliament today.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday presented the Union Budget 2021, her third as Finance Minister on Monday. For the first time, the Budget went paperless as Sitharaman read out her 110-minute speech from a tablet. Members in the Lower House were provided soft copies of the speech and documents. There were quite a few firsts in Budget 2021-2022. Many of the Budget announcements, including some related to taxation, were greeted with thumping of desk by the ruling party members. Bringing the budget in the most challenging times during the pandemic, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in an exclusive conversation in Aaj Ki Baat with Rajat Sharma, Editor-In-Chief and Chairman, India TV, discussed the key highlights of the Union Budget 2021.
Aaj Ki Baat Exclusive: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Union Budget 2021 | Highlights
- After the lockdown was announced, the Modi government via direct bank transfer credited an amount in the hands of poor people, those who were in the utmost need.
- Putting money right in the hands of the people is not the only solution.
- Budget 2021 will help generate employment, FM Sitharaman said.
- The government did not add the burden of taxes on the common man.
- Opposition just wants that all the money should be put in the hands of people, which is not an appropriate solution.
ALSO READ | Nirmala Sitharaman on Budget 2021: 'Govt did not hesitate in spending'
- The government is in talks with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for funding.
- On disinvestment, the government will only be interested in deals that will do full justice to the value of public companies, Nirmala Sitharaman said.
- It is good that loss-making public companies must be sold.
- New Agriculture cess is just a readjustment, won't affect petrol, diesel prices.
- The government is purchasing from farmers in record numbers.
- How can we stall road infrastructure projects just because there are elections in some states, asks Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
- Lashing out at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, FM Sitharaman said she (Mamata) does not like any work done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
- Ujjwala Scheme has so far benefited 8 crore households and next year, the scheme will be extended to cover 1 crore more beneficiaries, Finance Minister Sitharaman mentioned. The government has already taken cooking gas coverage to over 98 per cent of households and extension of Ujjwala will provide for full coverage of households.
ALSO READ | What FM Sitharaman announced for rural infra development fund in Budget 2021-2022
Some other stats from Budget 2021
The Centre has allocated about Rs 1,66,547 crore to the Ministry of Home Affairs for the 2021-22 fiscal with a majority of the funds going to the police forces and a substantial amount for census related works.
According to the budget, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Rs 30,757 crore has been allocated to Jammu and Kashmir and Rs 5,958 crore for Ladakh -- the two newly created Union Territories.
The MHA has been allocated Rs 1,66,546.94 crore for the next fiscal with Rs 1,03,802.52 crore for the central armed police forces like the CRPF, BSF, CISF etc.
and Rs 3,768.28 crore for census operations. The work for the census 2021 has been postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Central sector schemes and projects of the MHA got Rs 1,641.12 crore, while Rs 481.61 crore has been allocated for disaster management. The Union Territories of Andaman and Nicobar Islands has been allocated Rs 5,317.41 crore, Chandigarh Rs 4,661.12 crore, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu Rs 2,204.
59 crore, Lakshasweep Rs 1,440.56 crore and Puducherry Rs 1,729.79 crore.
Earlier in the day, terming the Budget 2021 "exceptional", Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it has a vision of "Aatmanirbhar" (self-reliance) and inclusion of every citizen with a sense of belief in development amid the Covid-19 pandemic which has shaken entire humanity.
Mentioning the influence of Covid-19, Modi said the Budget has been presented amid exceptional circumstances and will highlight India's confidence, and at the same time, evoke a new confidence in the world.
ALSO READ | Budget 2021: Govt allocates Rs 13,949 crore to Space Dept as India preps up for Gaganyaan launch
In his remarks after the Union Budget was tabled in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister said that the principles behind the Budget include expansion of new opportunities for growth, and for the youth, giving new dimension to human resource, infrastructure development, and helping new sectors grow.
The Prime Minister said that the Budget will enhance "ease of living" for the common man by simplifying procedure and rules, while bringing positive changes for individuals, investors, industry and infrastructure sector.
ALSO READ | Big boost to infra, healthcare in Modi sarkar's Budget 2021: Who got what
