India Budget 2024 | 250 million people came out of poverty in the last 10 years: FM Sitharaman

Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday (Feb 1st) said during the interim budget speech in Parliament that the government believes in "empowering the poor" and that in the last 10 years, it has helped at least 25 crore (250 million) people to get freedom from multidimensional poverty.

Fulfilling aspirations the highest priority

During the pre-budget speech, Sitharaman said that fulfilling aspirations and needs of the gareeb (poor), mahilayien (women), yuva (youth) and annadata (farmers) are the highest priority of the government.

"When the poor become empowered partners in the development process, the government's power to assist them also increases manifold," said the finance minister while presenting the 2024 interim Budget in Lok Sabha.

She said that direct benefit transfer (DBT) of 34 lakh crore rupees (around $409 billion) using PM Jan Dhan accounts has led to saving of 2.7 lakh crore (2.7 trillion) rupees to the government. This, she said, has strengthened the welfare of the poor.

Street vendors get assistance

The Finance Minister said that 78 lakh (7.8 million) street vendors have been given credit assistance under the PM Swanidhi scheme. Additionally, end to end support was given to Indian artisans and craftsmen under PM Vishwakarma Yojna.

"Under the PM Kisan Samman Scheme, every year, direct cash assistance was given to 11.8 crore (118 million) farmers, including marginal and small farmers," she added.

Watch:India Budget 2024 | Nirmala Sitharaman on poor: 'Garib ka kalyan, desh ka kalyan'

The finance minister remarked that a country progresses when its poor progress. "Garib Kalyan, Desh ka kalyan (welfare of poor is welfare of the nation)," she said.

This was the last budget of the second term of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.

On Thursday, after securing President Draupadi Murmu's assent to the interim budget, Finance Minister Sitharaman reached Parliament House to present her sixth straight budget.

There, the interim budget was approved in the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by PM Modi.

(With inputs from agencies)