Budget 2024: Secularism in action - Modi's social justice model reduced corruption, prevented nepotism, says FM Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said there was a need to focus on the poor, women, youth, and farmers. "Their needs and aspirations and welfare are our highest priority," said the finance minister while presenting the interim Budget 2024. "All four require and receive government support, their empowerment and well-being will drive the country forward."

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The finance minister said that for the Modi government, social justice was an effective and necessary governance model. "Saturation approach of covering all eligible people is the true and comprehensive achievement of social justice, this is secularism in action, reduces corruption, prevents nepotism," she said. 

Sitharaman said that there is transparency and assurance that benefits are received to all eligible people, all regardless of their social standing get access to opportunities. "We are addressing systemic inequalities which have plagued our society, our focus is on outcomes and not on outlays so that socioeconomic transformation is achieved," she said, adding that the Modi government is working towards development which is all round, all inclusive and all pervasive. "It covers all castes and people at all levels."

The finance minister further said that the Modi government is working towards making India a Viksit Bharat by 2047. "Inclusive development and growth, our humane approach to development has marked a departure from the earlier approach of provisioning up to village level."

She said that development programmes have targeted each and every household and individual through housing for all, Har Ghar Jal, electricity for all, cooking gas for all and bank accounts and financial services for all in record time. "Worries about food were eliminated through free rations for 80 crore people, MSP for produce of Anna Data are periodically increased, and provision of basic necessities has enhanced real income in rural areas," she said.