Budget 2020 has both vision and action: PM Modi
New Delhi, Feb 1: Asserting that the Union Budget will accelerate the economic growth, financially empower every citizen and strengthen the foundation of the economy in the new decade, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday heaped praise on it for having both "vision and action".
He also said provision of faceless appeal, new and simple structure of direct tax, move towards unified procurement system, stress on disinvestment are some of the steps which will reduce the government out of people's lives and will enhance their "ease of living".
"I believe that this budget will increase income and investment, increase demand and consumption, bring new vigour in the financial system and credit flow," he said
The budget, Modi noted, will meet the current needs of the country as well as the future expectations in the decade.
"The new reforms announced in the budget will work to accelerate the economy, financially empower every citizen of the country and strengthen the foundation of the economy in this decade," Modi said in his comments.
Noting that the main areas of employment are agriculture, infrastructure, textiles and technology, he said the four have been given great emphasis in the budget to increase employment generation.
Referring to the government's efforts to double the income of farmer, he said 16 action points have been created which will serve to increase employment in rural areas.
Integrated approach has been adopted for the agriculture sector in the budget, which along with traditional methods will increase value addition in horticulture, fisheries, animal husbandry and also increase employment, he said.
"Under the Blue Economy, the youth will also get new opportunities in the field of fish processing and marketing," Modi noted.
According to the World Bank, the blue economy is the sustainable use of ocean resources for economic growth, improved livelihoods, and jobs while preserving the health of ocean ecosystem.
The prime minister said new mission for technical textile has been announced. Man-made fibre has been reformatted into the duty structure of its raw material to be produced in India. This reform was in demand for the last three decades, he pointed out.
Referring to the Ayushman Bharat scheme, Modi said it has given a new expansion to the health sector of the country.
"In this sector, there has been a lot of scope for human resources - doctors, nurses, attendants as well as medical device manufacturing. New decisions have been taken by the government to increase it," he said.
The Ayushman Bharat Yojana, also known as the Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (PMJAY), is a scheme that aims to help economically vulnerable Indians who are in need of healthcare facilities.
Prime Minister Modi had rolled out the scheme in September 2018.
He said in the budget, the government has made several special efforts to promote employment generation in the field of technology.
A number of policy initiatives have been taken for areas such as new smart cities, electronic manufacturing, data centre parks, biotechnology and quantum technology.
He hoped that India will move strongly towards becoming an integral part of the global value chain.
He pointed out that new and innovative initiatives have been announced regarding skill development of youth.
"For example, apprenticeships in degree courses, internships in local bodies and provision of online degree courses. Bridge courses are also being arranged for young people from India who want to go abroad for jobs," he said.
Modern infrastructure is of great importance for modern India, he said, adding that the infrastructure sector is also a large employment generator.
"Construction of 6,500 projects from Rs 100 lakh crore will increase employment opportunities in a big way. The National Logistics Policy will also benefit trade, business and employment. In the field of infrastructure, we will give new power to youth energy through start-ups and through project development," he said.
Describing investment is the biggest driver for employment, he said some historical steps have been taken in this direction.
Arrangements are being made to strengthen the bond market and for long-term financing of the infrastructure, he said.
Due to the removal of the dividend distribution tax, Rs 25,000 crore will come in the hands of companies which will help them in further investments.
Various tax concessions have been given to attract outside investment into India. Tax benefits have also been provided for start ups and real estate. All these decisions will accelerate the economy and through this will provide new employment opportunities to the youth.
He said the rights of taxpayers will be explained in the taxpayer charters.
"Our government has always relied on small entrepreneurs associated with MSMEs. Audit on turnover up to Rs 5 crore will no longer be required," he said.
Steps like establishing a common online exam for government jobs, Kisan Rail and Krishi Udaan are going to have long-term benefits for a cross section of citizens.
He said to get government jobs, youth have to take many different exams and travel to places.
"Changing this arrangement, appointments will now be made through the online Common Examination taken by the National Recruitment Agency," he said.
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BJP's downfall has begun, its govt at Centre in minority: Mamata
Howrah/Baruipur (WB) (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday hit out at the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that the saffron party's "downfall" began after the Centre failed to secure passage of a Constitution amendment bill to implement women's reservation in legislatures from 2029.
Addressing back-to-back rallies at Uluberia in Howrah and Baruipur in South 24 Parganas, the TMC supremo said Friday's events in Parliament had shown that the BJP was no longer a party with a majority of its own and was surviving in office only with the support of two allies.
"Yesterday proved they are no longer a majority government. It is a minority government. They are somehow running it with the support of two parties," she said, in an apparent reference to the BJP's dependence on allies in the NDA.
In a major setback to the Centre, a Constitution amendment bill to implement 33 per cent reservation for women in legislatures in 2029 and increase the number of Lok Sabha seats to 816 was defeated on Friday, with the ruling dispensation asserting that the struggle to give the rights to women will continue.
While 298 members voted in support of the bill in the Lok Sabha, 230 MPs voted against it. Out of 528 members who voted, the bill required 352 votes for a two-thirds majority.
Banerjee questioned why the women's reservation was tied to the delimitation exercise.
"Why link it with delimitation? Is this an attempt to hide fish with greens?" she asked, invoking the Bengali phrase 'shak diye mach dhaka' to claim that the "Centre was trying to conceal its real intentions".
Ahead of the upcoming West Bengal assembly elections, Banerjee sought to turn the BJP's parliamentary setback into a larger political narrative, portraying it as the "beginning of the BJP's decline nationally".
"Modi sahib's downfall began in Delhi yesterday. In the Lok Sabha, you have been defeated; now you will have to be defeated on the ground. Bengal will show the way," she told cheering supporters at Uluberia.
In typical Mamata style, she mixed political attacks with personal anecdotes and old grievances.
Recalling her long association with the demand for women's reservation, Banerjee said she had been fighting for the cause since 1998, long before the BJP made it an issue.
"This is not a women's bill. I have fought for women's reservation since 1998. They are using the media to spread lies," she said.
The TMC supremo accused the Centre of linking the women's quota with delimitation in order to conceal what she described as a larger political design.
Banerjee alleged that the proposed delimitation exercise was aimed at redrawing political boundaries and weakening states like West Bengal.
"It was a plan to divide the country, divide Bengal and divide every state. The game was to increase the number of Lok Sabha seats. We sent our 21 MPs to Parliament because the issue was important. We will not allow Bengal to be divided," she said.
The chief minister said the BJP did not need to lecture her party on women's empowerment, asserting that the TMC had already ensured greater representation for women than most parties in the country.
She said women constituted around 37 per cent of the party's elected Lok Sabha MPs and 46 per cent of its Rajya Sabha members.
"We have given 50 per cent reservation to women in panchayats and municipalities. Show me another party that has done this," she said.
The reference was meant to reinforce one of the Trinamool Congress' strongest political claims -- that it has built a durable support base among women voters through welfare schemes and representation.
As she moved from Uluberia to Baruipur, Banerjee sharpened her attack further and sought to bring Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar into the campaign.
"Did you see what happened to Nitish Kumar? They used him during the elections and then pushed him aside," she said.
Kumar resigned as Bihar chief minister on Tuesday, making way for the first-ever BJP-led government in the state.
Banerjee also cautioned people against filling up forms under a proposed scheme promising cash assistance by the BJP.
"Now, they (BJP leaders) are saying they will give Rs 3,000. Do not fill up those forms by mistake. They are taking your name and address. Then they will take away all the money from your account. They are all frauds," she alleged.
Banerjee also accused the BJP of planning to "misuse" the central agencies and security forces during the assembly elections.
"IAS and IPS officers have their dignity. We will foil every plan to capture Bengal using the central forces. Yesterday, Modi's downfall began in Delhi. The election defeat in Bengal will be the second fall," she said.
Her remarks drew loud applause from party workers, as the TMC has been projecting the 2026 West Bengal election not merely as a state contest but as the next big political battle after the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Banerjee also used the rallies to revive her familiar attack on the BJP over what she calls its "double standards" on religion and food.
"You are looting the country and destroying it. When you go to Saudi Arabia and hug leaders there, you do not talk about Hindu-Muslim. So much beef is exported. But in Bengal, you want to stop people from eating fish and meat," she said.
VIDEO | West Bengal polls: “BJP's downfall has begun”, says CM Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) on NDA failing to pass bill to give women quota from 2029.#AssemblyPollsWithPTI #WestBengalPollsWithPTI
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) April 18, 2026
(Source: Third Party)
(Full video available on PTI Videos -… pic.twitter.com/dTdOcEKfW5
