'Article 370 Was Trojan Horse, Agniveer Is For Battle-Readiness': Highlights From Sitharaman's Response In Rajya Sabha

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday (31 July) responded to the Opposition's remarks on the Union Budget 2024-25 in Rajya Sabha. Here are the key highlights:

1. Fiscal prudence: "It is an observation of global observers, domain experts and dispassionate economists that the fiscal management of the Modi government has always fiscal prudence as one of the governance principles," she said.

Referring to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) upgrading India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth forecast to 7 per cent in 2024-25, Sitharaman asserted that India is the fastest-growing economy in the world.

2. Trojan horse: Responding to allegations that the Union government taking over responsibility of Jammu and Kashmir Police is a "trojan horse," she said, "If at all, there was a trojan horse in regards to J&K, it was Article 335A and Article 370."

"We are taking the burden of J&K Police money so that J&K administration will have more money for development. But the oppositon is trying to create doubt about India's governance and federal structure," she added.

3. Separatists in Congress: Sitharaman alleged that Congress is throwing red carpets for self-proclaimed separatists and terrorists.

4. Cooperative federalism: She said Rs 22.91 lakh crore will be given to the states as per the Budget, marking an increase of Rs 4.93 lakh crore from last year.

"In the interim budget of 2009-10, only Bihar and Uttar Pradesh were mentioned. In the main budget, eight states were mentioned. Does this mean that 20 other states did not get any money," she responded to the allegations.

5. Agriculture: Kisan Credit Card (KCC) now covers animal husbandry and fishery also, she said. Over Rs 1.5 lakh crore has been disbursed to farmers under PM Fasal Beema Yojana since its launch in 2016, she added.

"More than Rs 35,200 crore has been sanctioned for 48,000 projects under agri-infra fund. More than 23 crore soil health cards have been distributed to farmers," the Finance Minister said.

6. Health: "Total allocation under health increased from Rs 88,000 crore to Rs 89,000 crore from last year. PM Swasth Suraksha Yojana has approved 15 new AIIMS, of them nine have been completed since 2014," she said.

7. Unemployment: "Employment declined from 47.2 crore in 2012-13 to 47 crore in 2013-14. This is the only period of decline recorded since 1981-82," Sitharaman said attacking the erstwhile UPA government.

"Periodic Labour Force Survey shows that employment and labour force participation, especially of women, has increased from 2017-18. The unemployment rate has declined from 6 per cent in 2017-18 to 3.2 per cent in 2022-23," she added.

8. Inflation: Sitharaman alleged that domestic inflation used to be higher than the global average in the UPA era and the leaders did not know how to withdraw the stimulus brought to cope with the global financial crisis.

"When emerging markets kept inflation at 3.9 per cent, UPA kept our inflation at 10.1 per cent. Over the last decade, India's average was 5.1 per cent, lower than 5.8 per cent average of emerging economies," she added.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge objected to frequent references to the UPA era and asked to speak about the present day. Jagat Prakash Nadda defended Sitharaman saying that in the budget, long-term events are discussed.

9. Kerala: Referring to the Supreme Court's order supporting the Centre and asking the Kerala government to resolve the issue amicably with the Centre, she said the state got additional borrowing unconditionally for three years.

10. Tax devolution: From 1996 to 2014, there was an accumulated due of Rs 82,000 crore for tax devolution but the Modi government cleared it, the Finance Minister said adding that no government took any action.

11. Agniveer: Sitharaman said that the scheme ensures fit and younger force and battle-readiness of the Armed Forces and the ruling coalition does not politicise such issues.

12. NEET: The Supreme Court did not scrap NEET exams and observed there was no systemic leak, Sitharaman said, adding that NEET was notified in December 2010 and its implementation was led by Gandhi Selvan.

"In 2012, UPA 2 introduced NEET-UG and the first exam took place in 2013. When notification was challenged in Supreme Court, ASG of UPA government defended NEET," the Finance Minister said.

She listed success stories of NEET where students from lower strata of society have qualified for the exam to secure seats in medical colleges.