Budget merely a trailer before Lok Sabha polls: PM Narendra Modi

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the interim budget is merely a "trailer" of what will guide India towards prosperity after the Lok Sabha polls and described it as something which will benefit all sections of the society.

In his remarks after the interim budget was presented in Parliament, Modi said it empowers people and referred to a host of budgetary announcements and schemes to drive home his point.

More than 12 crore farmers, three crore middle-class families and 30-40 crore workers employed in the unorganised sector will benefit from the budget, he said, adding that poverty has been falling at a record rate due to the efforts of his government. This budget will boost the efforts of 130 crore citizens in realising the goal of a new India, Modi said.

He said the development initiatives of the NDA government have touched several lives which have been reflected in the budget proposals from farmer welfare to middle class, from income tax relief to infrastructure, from manufacturing to MSME, from housing to healthcare and from the increased pace of development to the New India.

He expressed happiness over more people being removed from the shackles of poverty. "Our neo-middle class is rising and so are their dreams. Interim budget a trailer for what will take India towards prosperity after Lok Sabha polls," he said in a televised statement. He also congratulated the middle class for the relief in taxes and said he salutes it for its contribution towards the development of the nation.

About the pro-farmer initiatives in the budget, he lamented that for years, many initiatives were taken for the farming community, but a lot of farmers never came under the ambit of these schemes. He said that the PM Kisan Nidhi is a historic step for farmer welfare which will help the farmers who have under 5 acres of land. Modi added that the animal husbandry sector, fisheries have been taken care of in the budget for "new India".

Underlining the importance of safeguarding the interests of the unorganised sector, he said PM Shram Yogi Man Dhan Yojana will be of great help. This sector needed more safeguarding of their interests and the budget for new India has done so. Ayushman Bharat Yojana and social security schemes are also going to touch their lives, he added. Modi said it is essential to ensure the benefits of development reach all sections of society. "The budget will empower the poor, give a boost to the farmer and an impetus to the economic growth," he said.

In his statement, he thanked Arun Jaitley, undergoing treatment, and Finance Minister Piyush Goyal for the budget. Till recently, Jaitley was handling the finance portfolio. Goyal now holds the additional charge of finance.