NEW DELHI: The Budget strikes a fine balance addressing issues like growth, employment, capital investment and fiscal consolidation, while pledging support to cooperative federalism, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday.
While replying to the discussion on the Budget, she also strongly defended the Agnipath scheme, arguing it would help India maintain a battle-ready force and was brought in with the “acceptance” of the armed forces.
“One of the expected outcomes of the scheme is that armed forces will have a much younger force by recruiting those in the age group of 17-21 years. This initiative showcases our commitment to keeping our armed forces ready and fit,” she said, responding to queries raised earlier in the debate by former finance minister P Chidambaram on implementation of the scheme.
Countering allegations by the opposition that the govt was violating the principles of cooperative federalism, the finance minister said the Budget actually pledged unflinching support to the same.
Brushing aside allegations that she was ignoring opposition-governed states, Sitharaman attacked the opposition for raising the inflation issue, saying there was double-digit inflation during the UPA regime because of reckless and inept policies.
She said the PLI schemes remained attractive for the manufacturing sector. “The Budget is an exercise to make India an attractive destination for manufacturing companies and boost growth and employment,” she added.
While the opposition had alleged that the decision to finance J&K Police might be a ploy to retain control of home affairs, calling it a Trojan horse, the minister said if there was any Trojan horse it was Article 375 that, she added, prevented the UT from being integrated into India.
She also emphasised that the financial position of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir has improved, adding that J&K Bank has made a turnaround and posted a profit.
Responding to the opposition’s criticism of NEET exams, Sitharaman said that in 2011 when DMK was in office, Tamil Nadu had just 1,945 medical seats, which had now soared to 10,425.
“NEET has ensured cost effective medical education for families. Certainly it has hurt some vested interests, particularly those in the medical education field because selling medical seats is no longer possible. Therefore, it has hurt a lot of people. That is why a particular lobby was actively against NEET even before the NEET leak issue came up,” she said.
While replying to the discussion on the Budget, she also strongly defended the Agnipath scheme, arguing it would help India maintain a battle-ready force and was brought in with the “acceptance” of the armed forces.
“One of the expected outcomes of the scheme is that armed forces will have a much younger force by recruiting those in the age group of 17-21 years. This initiative showcases our commitment to keeping our armed forces ready and fit,” she said, responding to queries raised earlier in the debate by former finance minister P Chidambaram on implementation of the scheme.
Countering allegations by the opposition that the govt was violating the principles of cooperative federalism, the finance minister said the Budget actually pledged unflinching support to the same.
Brushing aside allegations that she was ignoring opposition-governed states, Sitharaman attacked the opposition for raising the inflation issue, saying there was double-digit inflation during the UPA regime because of reckless and inept policies.
She said the PLI schemes remained attractive for the manufacturing sector. “The Budget is an exercise to make India an attractive destination for manufacturing companies and boost growth and employment,” she added.
While the opposition had alleged that the decision to finance J&K Police might be a ploy to retain control of home affairs, calling it a Trojan horse, the minister said if there was any Trojan horse it was Article 375 that, she added, prevented the UT from being integrated into India.
She also emphasised that the financial position of the UT of Jammu and Kashmir has improved, adding that J&K Bank has made a turnaround and posted a profit.
Responding to the opposition’s criticism of NEET exams, Sitharaman said that in 2011 when DMK was in office, Tamil Nadu had just 1,945 medical seats, which had now soared to 10,425.
“NEET has ensured cost effective medical education for families. Certainly it has hurt some vested interests, particularly those in the medical education field because selling medical seats is no longer possible. Therefore, it has hurt a lot of people. That is why a particular lobby was actively against NEET even before the NEET leak issue came up,” she said.
