Interim Budget 2024-2025: Finance Minister's Speech and Related Documents

Speech of Nirmala Sitharaman

(An excerpt) 

Minister of Finance February 1, 2024  

Hon’ble Speaker, 

I present the Interim Budget for 2024-25

Introduction

1. The Indian economy has witnessed profound positive transformation in the last ten years. The people of India are looking ahead to the future with hope and optimism.

2. With the blessings of the people, when our Government under the visionary and dynamic leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, the country was facing enormous challenges. With ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ as its ‘mantra’, the Government overcame those challenges in right earnest. Structural reforms were undertaken. Pro-people programmes were formulated and implemented promptly. Conditions were created for more opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. The economy got a new vigour. The fruits of development started reaching the people at scale. The country got a new sense of purpose and hope. Naturally, the people blessed the Government with a bigger mandate. 

3. In the second term, our Government under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister doubled down on its responsibilities to build a prosperous country with comprehensive development of all people and all regions. Our Government strengthened its ‘mantra’ to ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and Sabka Vishwas’. Our development philosophy covered all elements of inclusivity, namely,

· social inclusivity through coverage of all strata of the society, and 

· geographical inclusivity through development of all regions of the country

4. With the ‘whole of nation’ approach of ‘Sabka Prayas’, the country overcame the challenge of a once-in-a-century pandemic, took long strides towards ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, committed to ‘Panch Pran’, and laid solid foundations for the ‘Amrit Kaal’. As a result, our young country has high aspirations, pride in its present, and hope and confidence for a bright future. We expect that our Government, based on its stupendous work, will be blessed again by the people with a resounding mandate. 

Inclusive Development and Growth

5. Our humane and inclusive approach to development is a marked and deliberate departure from the earlier approach of ‘provisioning up-to-village level’. Development programmes, in the last ten years, have targeted each and every household and individual, through ‘housing for all’, ‘har ghar jal’, electricity for all, cooking gas for all, bank accounts and financial services for all, in record time.

6. The worries about food have been eliminated through free ration for 80 crore people. Minimum support prices for the produce of ‘Annadata’ are periodically increased appropriately. These and the provision of basic necessities have enhanced real income in the rural areas. Their economic needs could be addressed, thus spurring growth and generating jobs. 

Social Justice 

7. Our Government is working with an approach to development that is all-round, all-pervasive and all-inclusive (सर्वांगीण, सर्वस्पर्शी और सर्वसमावेशी). It covers all castes and people at all levels. We are working to make India a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. For achieving that goal, we need to improve people’s capability and empower them. 

8. 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. This is secularism in action, reduces corruption, and prevents nepotism (भाई-भतीजावाद). 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. We focus on outcomes and not on outlays so that the socio-economic transformation is achieved.

9. As our Prime Minister firmly believes, we need to focus on four major castes. They are, ‘Garib’ (Poor) , ‘Mahilayen’ (Women), ‘Yuva’ (Youth) and ‘Annadata’ (Farmer). Their needs, their aspirations, and their welfare are our highest priority. The country progresses, when they progress. All four require and receive government support in their quest to better their lives. Their empowerment and well-being will drive the country forward. 

Garib Kalyan, Desh ka Kalyan

10. We believe in empowering the poor. The earlier approach of tackling poverty through entitlements had resulted in very modest outcomes. When the poor become empowered partners in the development process, government’s power to assist them also increases manifold. With the pursuit of ‘Sabka ka Saath’ in these 10 years, the Government has assisted 25 crore people to get freedom from multi-dimensional poverty. Our Government’s efforts are now getting synergized with energy and passion of such empowered people. This is truly elevating them from poverty.

The Union Budget Speech and other related documents can be accessed through the following URLs: