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After Finance Minister Arun Jaitley presented his fifth straight budget in the Lok Sabha, Bharatiya Janata Party members and ministers from the Cabinet reacted positively to the Budget.
Here are some of the reactions.
Rajnath Singh
Home Minister Rajnath Singh termed the budget 2018-19 as a “budget for progressive and positive India” and said it would help bridge the gap between the rural and urban India.
Singh said the budget will also boost the economic growth and public investment as massive allocations have been made in the infrastructure sector.
“It is indeed a budget for a progressive and positive India. This budget envisions a paradigm shift in economic priorities and it will help in bridging the gap between the rural and urban areas of our country,” said the home minister.
“The budget is one of the most farmer and people’s friendly budgets presented in the recent years. The proposal to include 10 crore poor and vulnerable families under the annual health cover of Rs 5 lakh will bring a massive change in health outcomes,” he added.
Amit Shah
BJP chief Amit Shah said the Budget gives new wings to aspirations of the poor as he cited measures aimed at giving a boost to farmers, infrastructure, rural sector and small and medium enterprises.
Shah said the “record allocation” to the rural sector and agriculture will lead to unprecedented rural development and agricultural growth and asserted that consistent focus on rural development and agriculture has been a hallmark of the government.
He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jaitley for the “historic” step of raising MSPs to 1.5 times the costs incurred by farmers and said it showed the government’s commitment to farmers and doubling their income.
“This budget gives new wings to the aspirations of the poor, farmers and the middle class. The #NewIndiaBudget will truly empower all sections of the society to attain prosperity,” he said.
“The Modi govt has continuously improved fiscal deficit since its first budget. The target of 3.3 per cent for 2018-19 is another effort in the same direction and will certainly improve investor confidence in Indian economy,” he said.
Raman Singh
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh hailed the Union Budget, saying it will bring a positive change in the lives of the poor and farmers.
The budget focuses on the top priorities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the welfare of people, Singh said.
“Like previous years, it (this year’s budget) will help in bringing a positive change in the lives of farmers and poor and thereby accelerate the growth of villages and the country,” he said in an official statement, while congratulating PM Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Describing it as a revolutionary and historic budget for the welfare of masses, Singh said it will give an impetus to the PM’s vision of ’Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas’.
Devendra Fadnavis
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis hailed the Union Budget, saying it was a big boost to sectors like infrastructure, economy, health care and job creation.
Fadnavis said the provision of Rs 40,000 crore for enhancing the transportation in Mumbai with the expansion of suburban railway system and new airports was a big boost to the infrastructure sector and the economy.
He termed as “historical” the decision to increase farmers’ income.
“With an aim to put more money in farmers’ pockets, the Centre has decided to increase the minimum support price of all crops by at least 1.5 times of the production
cost,” he noted.
He also welcomed the target of Rs 3 lakh crore for loan disbursement under the Mudra scheme in the next fiscal.
L K Advani
BJP veteran L K Advani lavished praises on the government for the budget which, he said, made India and his party proud, and held that no earlier budget had set such high goals for growth in all sectors.
The budget combined 'ambition and empathy' of almost an unprecedented order, he said in a statement, and added that it made him happy to see his party pursuing 'economic growth with a human face'.
'I cannot recall any budget in the past that set such high goals, targets and commitments for the growth of all sectors of the economy and also for securing people's welfare. I am sure India is headed towards a brighter future,' the former deputy prime minister said.
The budget, he said, had made India proud.
'I heartily compliment Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley for making India proud - and also the Bharatiya Janata Party proud - by presenting a Budget that combines ambition and empathy of almost an unprecedented order,' he said.
He singled out 'Ayushman Bharat', an insurance scheme which seeks to cover nearly 10 crore Indian families with a health insurance package of Rs 5 lakh per family.
''Health for all' was more or less a slogan but will now become a reality,' he said.
Advani also highlighted the budget's provisions for farmers, small and medium sector enterprises, education and infrastructure.
Manohar Parrikar
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said the budget is not a populist one but is a budget which will become popular.
"It is not a populist budget but a budget which will become popular. When the economy prospers we prosper," he said.
Image: Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, along with ministers of state Shiv Pratap Shukla, Pon Radhakrishnan and his team of officials, gives final touches to the Union Budget 2018-19 at his office at North Block in New Delhi. Photograph: Shahbaz Khan/PTI Photo