Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said that the Narendra Modi-led government is working with an approach of development that is “all- round” and “all-inclusive”.
Presenting the interim Budget 2024-25 at the new Parliament building ahead of the Lok Sabha election that is scheduled in April-May this year, she said that the government is working to make India ‘a Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
“Previously, social justice was mostly a political slogan. For our government, social justice is an effective and necessary governance model. The saturation approach of covering all eligible people is the true and comprehensive achievement of social justice,” the union finance minister said.
“This is secularism in action, reduces corruption, and prevents nepotism. There is transparency and assurance that benefits are delivered to all eligible people. The resources are distributed fairly. All, regardless of their social standing, get access to opportunities. We are addressing systemic inequalities that had plagued our society,” she added.
She also said that there is transparency that benefits is being distributed to those who are eligible. “The government is also addressing systemic inequalities that has plagued the society, the FM said.
“We focus on outcomes and not on outlays so that the socio-economic transformation is achieved,” Sitharaman said.
She also said that the Prime Minister believes that focus should be on “four major castes” who are the poor, youth, women and farmers.
“All four require and receive government support in their quest to better their lives. Their empowerment and well-being will drive the country forward,” she said.
In her Union Budget speech, she said that in the last 10 years, the government has assisted 25 crore people to be freed from multi-dimensional poverty.
She added that ‘Direct Benefit Transfer’ of Rs 34 lakh crore from the government using PM-Jan Dhan accounts has led to savings of Rs 2.7 lakh crore for the government.