World looking at India’s Budget, says Modi as Parliament sits to hear last Budget of NDA 2

Speaking ahead of the Budget Session, the Prime Minister said the Budget Session would be imbued with the principle of ‘India first, citizen first’.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi | PIB

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Tuesday that the world was looking at India’s central budget, which will be presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on 1 February.

He said the Union Budget – the last full Budget before the 17^th Lok Sabha concludes — would attempt to meet the hopes and aspirations of common citizens “amid the unstable global economic situation”. “The ray of hope being seen by the world glows brighter for this. I firmly believe that Nirmala Sitharaman will make all efforts to meet those aspirations,” the Prime Minister said.

Speaking ahead of the Budget Session in Parliament, Modi said “credible voices” from the world of economy had brought in “a positive message, a ray of hope and the beginning of enthusiasm”. “Today is important as our President (Droupadi Murmu) will address the joint session of Parliament for the first time,” Modi said.

He added that the President’s first address was “a matter of pride for our Constitution, and especially for the respect for women”. “The whole world has its eyes on India.”

The Prime Minister said the Budget Session would be imbued with the essence of “India first, citizen first”, adding he was hopeful that Opposition leaders would present their independent views before Parliament.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will deliver this government’s final full-fledged budget on Wednesday – her fifth time.

In the five years of her ministership, Sitharaman has underscored investments, building capital and infrastructure.

There are also expectations that the government will raise the income tax limit and provide relief to the middle class taxpayers, besides other measures.

At a function earlier this month, Sitharaman had said: “I too belong to the middle class so I can understand the pressures of the middle class. I identify myself with the middle class so I know.”

In the same breath, the minister had reminded the audience that the Modi government had not imposed any fresh taxes on the middle class.