Union Minister Anurag Thakur on Wednesday said that the Union Budget 2023 is the first budget of "Amrit Kaal," and this budget will make way for the country's progress towards "Swarna Kaal".






"This is Amirt Kaal's maiden budget, and this budget has the potential to pave the route for a developed India," the union minister said in an interview with ABP News. Rural people, youngsters, farmers, women, and labourers: this budget includes something for everyone, which is why we name it 'Kushiyon ka Budget', the minister added.


Slamming the opposition, he stated that the opposition has nothing to question in this budget, which is why the opposition is a little upset; they intended to politicise the budget, but they can't since this budget is for everyone. Because there is nothing to criticize in the budget, they are questioning why changes to income tax bracket limitations have been made, and why new skill-oriented programmes have been included, Thakur said.


When asked about the country's inflation and employment, Thakur remarked that, in comparison to neighbouring Pakistan and the West, inflation in India has been under control and has steadily fallen over time. Increased capital expenditure and government investment will progressively boost the number of jobs in the coming times. 


Supporting Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's statement that this Budget is the blueprint for the next 25 years, citing expenditure figures Thakur said: "This budget has provided a framework for future times, and coming years, it is almost 9 times larger than the previous budgets, several new initiatives have been initiated with the intentions of making India future ready."


Regarding the confusion around the 'double tax regime,' Thakur stated: "We have kept both the alternatives open; if the taxpayer prefers the old regime, they can do so; if the new regime is more suited and comfortable, they can do so. It has been left to the discretion of the taxpayer."


Anurag Thakur Highlights Top Five Features Of The Budget:


Capital Expenditure: Quoting the Budget announcement made by the Finance minister, the government will hike the capital expenditure (capex) outlay for 2023-24 by 33 per cent to Rs 10 trillion, Thakur said is the major highlight of the budget.


This is the largest capital expenditure ever. The capex spending in FY23 was Rs 7.5 trillion. He stated that the increased investment will amount to 3.3 per cent of the country's GDP.


PM Awas Yojana: Thakur stated that the announcement by the Centre to increase the outlay for PM Awas Yojana by 66% to Rs 79,000 crore is another important feature of the 2023 budget.


Highest Ever Outlay For Railways: The decision to allocate Rs 1.4 lakh crore in the Union Budget for 2022-23, of which Rs 1.37 lakh crore was designated for capital expenditure and Rs 3,267 lakh crore for revenue expenditure, will generate a number of new opportunities for the industry, according to the union minister.


On February 1, the Union Budget proposed a record financial allocation of Rs 2.40 lakh crore for Indian Railways. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharam stated that the allocation was more than nine times that of the previous fiscal year.


Emphasis on Skill Enhancement: As part of the redesigned Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0, the government would integrate on-the-job training across all short-term courses while developing new age courses that will be industry-specific, according to the minister.


The finance minister proposed a slew of skilling measures over the next three years, including stipends for 47 lakh youth, the establishment of a Skill India Digital Platform, and the construction of 30 Skill India International Centres across several states.


He added that the government believes that on-the-job training will increase our youth's employability and create job opportunities overseas for India's highly skilled labour force.


Benefits Senior Citizens: According to Thakur, an increase in the Senior Citizens Savings Scheme (SCSS) upper limit was announced in the budget. The country's senior citizens will benefit from the increase in the maximum investment limit from Rs. 15 lakh to Rs. 30 lakh.