New Delhi: With the Union Budget just around the corner, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said she identifies herself as middle class and understands the problems faced by the people.
Nirmala Sitharaman during an interaction with RSS publication ‘Panchjanya’ added that “I belong to a middle class and identify myself as a middle class so I can understand them. The Modi government has not levied any new tax on the middle class in any budget so far. No tax levied on people who earn a salary up to Rs 5 lakhs.”
Remarks were made as the centre is in the middle of finalising the Union Budget 2023-24 which is scheduled to be presented on the floor of parliament on February 1.
She further added that “The government has ensured no new tax is imposed on them, launched metro services in 27 cities (for better mobility),” and claimed to understand the pressure of the middle-class section.
In addition, she noted that requisite funds were being released for the development of 100 smart cities, which she said will help people who migrate to big cities for business and employment.
Talking about freebies, the Finance Minister added that “Question is not of freebies. The question is whether the promises made by political parties before elections can be fulfilled considering the financial condition of the state.”
Moreover, speaking about how India came out of Fragile 5 economies, she said India’s economy has undergone significant changes since 2014, which has led it now become the fastest-growing economy in the world.
The term ‘Fragile five’ economies was coined by Morgan Stanley analyst in 2013 and refers to a set of five emerging countries, including India, whose economy was not doing well then. The other four countries were Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, and Turkey.
(With Agency Inputs)
Click here for Latest News updates and viral videos on our AI-powered smart news
For viral videos and Latest trends subscribe to NewsMobile YouTube Channel and Follow us on Instagram