Economy is showing signs of robust viability

In an interview with Doordarshan, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman talks about how the Budget will spur growth and push India towards self-reliance

This is your fifth full Budget and also the last one of the Narendra Modi government 2.0. How do you summarise the focus of this year’s Budget?

These five years were not ordinary five years. They witnessed the impact of the Covid pandemic globally. When the whole world is affected, it impacts the economy of every country. In that context, we not only took the steps required to pull the Indian economy out, but also worked to continue reform by taking every challenge as an opportunity. Today when the situation is challenging for everyone, India has emerged a shining star by staying the fastest-growing economy and will continue to stay so next year as well, something that IMF also maintained on Tuesday. We continued taking action without a break and without compromising on reform. We kept taking necessary steps from time to time to ensure that backward classes, Dalits and deprived sections are not burdened. That is how we are at this position. When we talk about today’s budget, the first in the Amrit Kaal, it not only carries foresight but also underlines provisions to uplift every SC, ST, economically weaker sections and OBCs, in line with Prime Minister Modi’s push for reforms for deprived sections.

You have put more money in the hands of employees and the middle class. But, will employers be willing to pay them more? Have you incentivised employers to try and give more money to people?