Budget's main focus is growth; Mumbai should be liking proposals: FM Sitharaman
Mumbai (PTI): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said growth is the main focus of the budget for FY24 presented by her recently.
The budget proposals establish both fiscal consolidation and growth, especially inclusive growth, Sitharaman said during her maiden interaction with stakeholders outside the national capital since presenting the budget on February 1.
"Growth is the main focus. We want to sustain that recovery, sustain that growth," Sitharaman, accompanied by the top ministry officials at the outreach event, said.
She gave credit for ensuring growth to the people of the country, who absorbed the relief and policy measures introduced by the government since the onset of the pandemic to make India the second-fastest growing economy.
The finance minister said it was the "express desire" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to continue with the elevated public capital expenditure, due to which she has proposed a higher outlay of Rs 10 lakh crore under the head.
She also thanked the budget-making team for making it possible to devote such a high quantum of resources for the task amid the myriad challenges like the need for fiscal consolidation.
"Mumbai should be liking it (the proposals)," Sitharaman said.
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Railway track tampered with in Surat district; police suspect sabotage attempt
Surat (PTI): Unidentified persons allegedly tampered with a railway track by removing fish plates and loosening several bolts in an attempt to derail trains in Gujarat's Surat district on Saturday, police said.
The sabotage attempt came to light before a train could pass through the affected track between Kosamba and Kim railway stations as a lineman detected the damage and alerted the railway authorities in the early hours of the day, officials said.
Unidentified persons removed two fish plates that bolted the ends of two rails on the railway track and placed them on the parallel track, Superintendent of Police, Surat (rural), Hitesh Joysar said.
They also loosened some 40-50 bolts, he said.
Deputy Superintendent of Police RR Sarvaiya said a lineman inspecting the track discovered the tampering around 5.30 am and alerted the railway administration.
"Railway engineers and other staff reached the site and repaired the line, and the movement of trains resumed," he said.
Sarvaiya said the railway and local police have launched a probe, and a case is being registered.
Inspector PH Jadeja of Kim police station said it was an attempt to derail the train, and an accident was averted due to the alertness of the railway staff.
The train movement resumed once the damage was fixed, he said.
