Visionary Budget, outlines govt's focus on making India self-reliant, says BJP

(Eds: Adding J P Nadda's reax)

New Delhi, Feb 1 (PTI) Hailing the Union Budget as "visionary", top BJP leaders on Tuesday said it outlines the Narendra Modi government's focus on a self-reliant India and is growth-oriented with a focus on harnessing the energies of a New India.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday unveiled a bigger Rs 39.45 lakh crore Budget, with higher spending on highways to affordable housing to fire up the key engines of the economy to sustain a world-beating recovery from the pandemic.

The General Budget during the 2022-23 period of Amrit Mahotsav, the celebrations to mark the 75 years of Independence, is primarily for the welfare of the poor, BJP president J P Nadda said.

This is a budget realising the Modi government's vision of social justice, equality, respect and equal opportunity for all, he said.

"I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and their entire team for such inclusive and all-round welfare budget for the people of the country and of the region," Nadda tweeted.

Union Minister and senior BJP leader Rajnath Singh termed the budget "growth-oriented".

In a series of tweets, he said, "The budget outlines the government's focus on Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision for development and pro-people reforms."

Emphasising the increase in capital expenditure, Singh said this year's budget has increased the total outlay for effective capital expenditure by a massive 35.4 per cent to more than Rs 10.6 lakh crores with the "bulk of the money going into the development of social and physical infrastructure in the country".

Echoing similar sentiments, Union Minister Amit Shah said this "visionary" budget will help in making India the world's leading economy under the leadership of Modi.

In a series of tweets, Shah said the budget will change the scale of India's economy.

Union Minister Nitin Gadkari praised the budget for giving impetus to infrastructure development, and said, "It is a budget to promote modern infrastructure in the country, which will lay the foundation for a new India and improve the lives of 130 crore Indians." PTI JTR JTR NSD NSD