Union Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda on Wednesday spoke during the ABP Shikhar Sammelan where he responded to the opposition's criticism over the Union Budget being "discriminatory" and appeasing its allies Andhra Pradesh and Bihar for "kursi bachao" plan. Countering these allegations by the opposition leaders, JP Nadda stated that those who were talking about Bihar and Andhra Pradesh seem to have forgotten that Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had already mentioned in February's Interim Budget that special attention would be given to the eastern states.
"She had said that utmost attention would be given to the eastern region, including Bihar, Odisha, West Bengal, and Andhra Pradesh. She did exactly that in this budget, making announcements regarding the regions of eastern India," he said.
Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge had called it a budget for NDA allies. LoP in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi had also slammed the Centre over the budget saying, "Kursi Bachao Budget. Appease Allies: Hollow promises to them at the cost of other states. Appease Cronies: Benefits to AA with no relief for the common Indian. Copy and Paste: Congress manifesto and previous budgets."
TMC chief Mamata Banerjee had also hit out at the NDA-led government, calling it "Andhra-Bihar" budget, that had deprived West Bengal of funds and special relief packages.
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At the Summit, he also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi became the PM for the third consecutive term, which shows how much the country's people liked his policies.
He further added that under PM Modi's leadership, the size of the budget has increased and so has the income.
"There was a massive outcry when PM Modi tried to convert informal economy to formal economy. People who were habitual of keeping black money at their homes and pockets had an issue with demonetisation. There was a parallel economy alongside the actual economy," he said, while commenting on demonitisation in India.
Nadda said that electricity has now reached the homes of 2.5 crore people in India.
"Earlier electricity was arranged in someone's house on an MLA's request. Even then, the department would ask you to get the pole yourself and arrange for the wire. Getting electricity felt like it was a favour by the government. But today electricity has been provided to the homes of 2.5 crore people through the SAUBHAGYA scheme," the Union Minister said.
Talking about digitisation, Nadda said that 40 per cent of the world's digital payments happen in India.
"There was a time when people used to say how digitisation will happen. But today, even vegetable vendors receive payments through QR code," he said.