Nirmala Sitharaman’s reply to Budget discussion in Lok Sabha on Saturday

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will reply to the Budget discussion in Lok Sabha (Lower House) of the Parliament at 10 am on Saturday. Earlier on Friday, the Finance Minister said Union Budget for FY21-22 attempts at providing stimulus to the economy.

Noting that post the pandemic global economies have witnessed contraction, the Minister, in her reply during the debate on the budget in Rajya Sabha, said that along with short term relief for those requiring immediate support, the government has also taken care of the medium and long term growth.

“The attempt made in this budget is to provide stimulus,” she said. She added that the budget is the instrument through which the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (Self-Reliant India) is to be attained.

Regarding the allegations of the opposition that the government works for the benefit of “crony capitalists”, she said that the NDA government has been working for the poor along with “respecting” the wealth creators.

Outlining several schemes including MGNREGA scheme and PMAY among others, she said that all these government initiatives were aimed at the poor rather than the rich.

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Proceedings of the Lok Sabha on the last day of the first phase of Budget Session will be held from 10 am, instead of 4 pm as usual during this session due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla made the announcement on Friday after the completion of the Question Hour. The decision is learnt to have taken after the request of all parliamentarians.

From the beginning of this Budget Session, the Lok Sabha proceedings were being held from 4 pm, excluding President’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament on January 29 and February 1 when the Union Budget 2021-2022 was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

Earlier this month, the first phase of the Budget Session was shortened for two days. As per the order, the sittings of both the Rajya Sabha and the Lok Sabha were reduced to February 13 (Saturday) in lieu of February 15, the earlier slated time.

(With inputs from IANS)

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