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Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Nirmala Sitharaman has said that India’s focus on wide ranging reforms and sound policies resulted in resilience during crises. She further said ‘Implemented through Sabka Prayas resulting in Jan Bhagidari and targeted support to those in need, these helped us perform well in trying times’.

While presenting the Union Budget 2023-24, the Finance Minister underscored that India’s rising global profile is because of several accomplishments such as unique world class digital public infrastructure, e.g., Aadhaar, Co-Win and UPI; Covid vaccination drive in unparalleled scale and speed; proactive role in frontier areas such as achieving the climate related goals, Mission LiFE and National Hydrogen Mission.

Highlighting the efforts taken during the Covid-19 pandemic, Sitharaman said that during pandemic, the scheme to supply free food grains to over 80 crore persons for 28 months ensured that no one goes to bed hungry. She said ‘Continuing our commitment to ensure food and nutritional security, we are implementing, from January 1, 2023, a scheme to supply free food grain to all Antyodaya and priority households for the next one year, under PM Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY).’ The Finance Minister noted that the entire expenditure of about Rs 2 lakh crore will be borne by the Central Government.