Nirmala Sitharaman Budget Speech: Key highlights of Budget 2021 | India Business News – Times of India

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NEW DELHI: Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget 2021 in Parliament on Monday.
On Friday, the finance minister tabled the Economic Survey in Parliament. The Survey said that the economy can contract by 7.7% in the current financial year ending on March 31 and the growth could be 11% in the next financial year.
Here is a look at the highlights of the budget.

New Centrally Sponsored Scheme PM Aatmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana to be launched, outlay of Rs 64,180 crore over 6 years. To develop capacities of health care systems, develop institutions for detection and cure of new and emerging diseases.
The minister laid out a vision for Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Part A of Budget 2021. This would include steps to strengthen the vision of Nation First by — doubling farmers’ income, strong infra, women’s empowerment, healthy India, good governance, education for all, inclusive development.
Aatmanirbhar Bharat package accelerated pace of structural reforms.
The Covid-19 recovery has helped laid the foundation for the economic revival we see today.
“Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark,” the fiannce minister quoted Rabindranath Tagore, adding that this moment in history is the dawn of a new era, where India is well-poised to be the land of promise and hope”.
Today, India has two vaccines, we have begun to safeguard both our citizens as well as 100 or more countries. Two or more more vaccines also expected soon.
This year for the first time ever the budget will be paperless. It will be made public online.
Sitharaman will present and read out the budget through a tab, instead of the traditional ‘bahi khata’.
The finance minister was seen carrying a tablet kept inside a red coloured cover with a golden coloured national emblem embossed on it.
In 2019, Sitharaman ditched the long-standing tradition of carrying budget documents in a leather briefcase and went swadeshi with a ‘bahi-khata’.
Finance minister had launched the “Union Budget Mobile App” for hassle-free access of Budget documents by MPs and the general public using the simplest form of digital convenience.
“Budget 2021 must support MSMEs, farmers and workers to generate employment. Increase healthcare expenditure to save lives. Increase defence expenditure to safeguard borders,” Congress leader Rahul Gandhi tweeted.