Budget Session 2023 LIVE Updates: Hello and welcome to this ABP Live blog to find all the latest news on the Parliament’s Budget Session 2023.
Presenting the Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on February 1 raised the personal income tax rebate limit, doled out sops on small savings and announced one of the most significant hikes in capital spending in the past decade. This is the NDA government’s last full-fledged Budget before the Lok Sabha polls early next year.
In his first reaction to the Budget for 2023-24 fiscal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in order to empower the middle class, the government has taken many significant decisions in the past years that have ensured ease of living.
The prime minister said the first budget in ‘Amrit Kaal’ has established a strong base to fulfil the aspirations and resolve of a developed India.
Meanwhile, Opposition leaders slammed the Centre for its “limited” focus on important sectors like health and education in the Budget for 2023-24 fiscal.
In the annual budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the health sector has been allocated Rs 89,155 crore, a hike of around 13 per cent over Rs 79,145 crore allocated in FY 2022-23.
The government also announced a mission to eliminate sickle cell anaemia by 2047.
The budgetary allocation for school education saw an overall increase of Rs 9752.07 crore (16.51 per cent) while for higher education, Rs 44,094.62 crore has been made available compared to Rs 40,828.35 crore in 2022-23, which is an increase of 8 per cent.
Terming the 2023-24 Union Budget “big on announcements and short on delivery”, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that there is no boost to education and health budgets. “In fact, they have been reduced.” Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot also accused the Centre of “neglecting” important areas such as education, health, social justice and women and child development.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed the Modi government, claiming that its ‘mitr kaal’ budget has no vision to create jobs as well as no plan to tackle inflation, and proves that the Centre has no roadmap to build India’s future.
“‘Mitr Kaal’ Budget has: NO vision to create Jobs. NO plan to tackle Mehngai. NO intent to stem Inequality. 1% richest own 40% of the wealth, 50% poorest pay 64% of GST, 42% youth are unemployed — yet, PM doesn’t Care!” Gandhi said in a tweet.
“This Budget proves Govt has NO roadmap to build India’s future,” he said.
On January 31, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman tabled the Economic Survey (2022-23) in Parliament. The Economic Survey 2022-23 has forecast India’s GDP growth for the next fiscal 2023-24 in a broad range of 6-6.8 per cent. Its baseline forecast for real GDP growth is 6.5 per cent.
The Budget session of Parliament started on January 31 and is scheduled to go on a break on February 13.
The session as per schedule will resume on March 13 and conclude on April 6.