Budget decisive step to realise PM's vision of developed India: Eknath Shinde

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the Union Budget was a decisive step towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modis vision of a developed India and asserted it also provides significant strength to the countrys financial capital Mumbai and the rest of the state.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said the Union Budget was a decisive step towards realising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a developed India and asserted it also provides significant strength to the country's financial capital Mumbai and the rest of the state. On Sunday, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented a record ninth consecutive Budget. ''This Budget is a determined step towards PM Modi's dream of a developed India. The budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is a leap towards a self-reliant, developed India,'' Shinde said. Shinde hailed the focus on infrastructure and the promotion of micro and medium industries, which he said will act as a major growth engine, as well the significant investment in urban development, particularly for smaller cities. ''Maharashtra is undergoing massive urbanization. The announcement to accelerate the development of tier-two and tier-three cities, alongside Rs 12 lakh crore fund for city development, will change the face of our urban centres. The Rs 100 crore concession for municipal bonds is move that strengthens the state's municipal corporations,'' said Shinde, who handles the urban development portfolio in the state government. Maharashtra's status as a manufacturing hub will be further enhanced by the Rs 40,000 crore provision for semiconductors, Rs 10,000 crore for biopharma as well as promotion of advanced technology in textiles, handlooms, and handicrafts, he added. The announcement of the Mumbai-Pune and Pune-Hyderabad high speed rail corridors will provide a major boost to the state, Shinde said. The creation of medical hubs and the promotion of medical tourism would create a surge in jobs within the world-class medical service sectors of Mumbai and Pune, he said. ''This budget is built around three duties: economic development, raising the standard of living of the common man, and development for all. In an era of global instability, India has given a message of self-reliance to the world. Full credit for this foresight must be given to Prime Minister Narendra Modi,'' Shinde asserted. He hailed the new simplified income tax system and the reduction of import duties on medicines for chronic diseases, which he described as great relief for thousands of patients. The Budget will greatly benefit Mumbai and Maharashtra, he said. ''The world-class WAVES summit related to the entertainment and amusement industry was held in Mumbai last year. Recognising Mumbai as the hub of this industry, the announcement to establish the Indian Institute of Creative Technology here is significant,'' he added. The announcement of various measures through technology to promote the fisheries industry, coconut, and cashew production is very useful for a state like Maharashtra with a large coastline, the Deputy CM said. The Budget announcement to make women running savings groups entrepreneurs through She-Mart, similar to Lakhpati Didis, will firmly empower poor women in Maharashtra to stand on their own feet, he said.

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