Commending the resilience shown by India amidst multiple crises, Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman credited this to country’s focus on wide-ranging reforms and sound policies. “Implemented through Sabka Prayas resulting in Jan Bhagidari and targeted support to those in need, these helped us perform well in trying times,” she elaborated.

India’s rising Global Profile:

While presenting the Union Budget 2023-24 in Parliament today, the Finance Minister underscored that India’s rising global profile is because of several accomplishments. These include:

• 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
• National Hydrogen Mission

Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKAY)

Highlighting the efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic, Smt 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. “Continuing our commitment to ensure food and nutritional security, we are implementing, from 1st January 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),” she pointed out. The entire expenditure of about Rs. 2 lakh crore will be borne by the Central Government, the Finance Minister said.

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