Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman speech for the sixth budget presentation by her began with a pitch for the Lok Sabha polls in 2024 as she spoke about young India's aspirations. At the start of her speech, she said, "Our young country has high aspirations, pride in its present and hope and confidence for a bright future. We expect that our govt based on its stupendous work will be blessed again by the people with a resounding mandate."
Assuring that the next five years will be the of unprecedented development, Nirmala Sitharaman said, "The government is equally focused on GDP - Governance, Development and Performance."
"The Indian economy has witnessed profound positive transformation in the last ten years. The people of India are looking ahead to the future with hope and optimism," she said.
Lauding the efforts of the Modi government in terms of development, she said, "With the blessings of the people, when our Government under the visionary and dynamic leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, the country was facing enormous challenges. With ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ as its ‘mantra’, the Government overcame those challenges in right earnest. Structural reforms were undertaken. Pro-people programmes were formulated and implemented promptly. Conditions were created for more opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship. The economy got a new vigour. The fruits of development started reaching the people at scale. The country got a new sense of purpose and hope."
"We need to focus on - Garib, Mahilayen, Yuva and Annadata; Their needs and aspirations are our highest priorities," Sitharaman added.
Speaking on the issue of women empowerment, she said, "Female enrolment in higher education up by 28% in 10 years, in STEM courses, girls & women make 43% of enrolment, one of the highest in the world. All these steps are reflected in the increasing participation of women in the workforce. Making triple talaq illegal, reservation of 1/3 seats for women in Parliament and state assemblies, over 70 % houses under PM Awas Yojana to women have increased their dignity."