Union Budget 2023: Presenting the Union Budget in Parliament on Wednesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman claimed that the government provided free foodgrains to 80 crore poor people during the COVID-19, ensuring no one goes hungry during the pandemic.
She presented her fifth budget which is being seen as very crucial for the Modi government as it is the last full-fledged budget before the next general elections scheduled to be held in 2024.
In her budget speech, Sitharaman said that the government is implementing a scheme to supply free foodgrains to the poor under 'Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana' (PMGKAY) with the expenditure of Rs 2 lakh crore from January 1.
PMGKAY launched during pandemic in 2020
Notably, the PMGKAY was launched during the Covid pandemic in 2020 under which, the Centre provided 5 kg of food grain free of cost to people falling under the National Food Security Act (NFSA) quota.
According to her, the government's initiatives to increase agricultural and livestock productivity returns to farmers through price support, and crop diversification has all contributed to the sector's robust growth throughout the years.
The Finance Minister also said that the G-20 presidency provides an opportunity to strengthen India's role in the global order in times of global challenges.
(With inputs from PTI)
