FM Nirmala Sitharaman says growth will be among top priorities of 2023-24 Union Budget

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that growth will be among top priorities of the Union Budget for 2023-24. She said, the forthcoming Union Budget will be carefully structured where the focus will be on maintaining growth momentum. Ms. Sitharaman was speaking at an event organised by the Brookings Institute in Washington. She said, the forthcoming Budget will also focus on addressing concerns arising out of inflation.

On the issue of rising public debt and fiscal deficit, Ms. Sitharaman said in the last two Budgets, Central government focused on increased capital expenditure to revive the economy post-pandemic era. Speaking about the immediate risks being faced by India, Finance Minister said that energy and fertilizer requirements were one of the most immediate challenges the country faced. She said due to the rising international prices of fertilizers, there was a crisis and this is an immediate challenge along with energy requirements.

Elaborating on managing the economy during the pandemic days, Ms Sitharaman said due to the digitalisation of the economy, India managed to provide foodgrains to the needy during lockdowns.

Immediate relief was provided to the people due to financial inclusion infrastructure, which the government had already created, she said.