Budget 2020: Nirmala Sitharaman recites Kashmiri poem, lists three themes of Budget

New Delhi, Feb 01: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the Union Budget for 2020-21 recited Kashmiri poem written by Pandit Deenanath Kaul and listed three themes of this Budget.

Quoting a Kashmiri poem while presenting Budget 2020, Sitharaman said, "Hamara vatan khilte huey Shalimar bagh jaise ...hamara vatan dal lake me khilte huey kamal jaisa...naujawanon ke garm khoon jaisa...mera vatan tera vatan hamara vatan duniya ka sabse pyara vatan.''

The themes of this Budget are Aspiration, development, compassion

• Aspirational India in which all sections of the society seek a better standard of living
• Economic development for all
• Ours shall be a caring society: Caring and compassionate

Earlier in the day, Sitharaman said fundamentals of the economy are strong and inflation has been well contained, while banks cleaned up accumulated loans. Presenting the Union Budget for 2020-21, she said it is aimed at boosting income and purchasing power of people.

The finance minister further said during 2014-19, the government brought a paradigm shift in governance. She termed GST as a historic structural reform, saying it integrated the country economically.