Budget 2022: FM Says Govt's Four Priorities Are Gati Shakti, Inclusive Development, Investment, Climate Action

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today started the Budget speech today (1 February) by remembering all those lives that were lost due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

She hailed the government's vaccination campaign, and said, "we are in the middle of the Omicron wave, but the speed of our vaccination campaign has helped greatly. I am confident that via ‘Sabka Prayaas’, we'll continue with strong growth." She said that the country is expected to grow at 9.27 per cent.

The Budget 2022-23 seeks to lay foundation and give blueprint of economy over ‘Amrit Kal’ of next 25 years - from India at 75 to India at 100. Previously, on 75th Independence Day, PM Modi had called the next 25 years as "Amrit Kaal" for India.

The Finance Minister told the House that while the Budget 2021-22 incorporated a sharp increase in public investment and capital expenditure, the present Budget (2022-23) will benefit the youth, women, farmers, and the backward classes.

She said that the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for achieving Aatmanirbhar Bharat had received excellent response, with the potential to create 60 lakh new jobs and additional production of 30 lakh crore during the next five years.

"The PM Gati Shakti master plan will guide the process," said Sitharaman. She said that the four priorities of the government were — PM Gati Shakti, inclusive development, productivity enhancement and investment, sunrise opportunities, energy transition and climate action and financing of investments.