Budget 2018: Arun Jaitley presented the budget, lauded by PM Modi as farmer and citizen friendly (File)
While Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who thumped his table during Mr Jaitley's speech in parliament, termed the Union Budget as "farmer friendly, citizen friendly", the Opposition launched a scathing attack on the centre.
Opposition parties called it an "election budget" while former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh said he was "worried" about the 2018 budget's "fiscal arithmetic". The opposition also attacked the new healthcare scheme, described by Niti Aayog chief Amitabh Kant as a "path-breaking scheme" and touted as the world's largest healthcare programme, saying only Rs 2,000 crore was allocated for it.
Here are the LIVE updates on the reactions to the Union Budget 2018:
"A Budget for Bharat," says Union minister Nitin Gadkari
Union minister Nitin Gadkari told NDTV that this was "the first time that a budget for Bharat (rural India)" was presented in parliament.
Mr Gadkari said that he was happy the government was going to increase the volume of credit for the farm sector to Rs 11 lakh crore.
The minister also said that the government would boost the creation of jobs.
Union minister Nitin Gadkari told NDTV that this was "the first time that a budget for Bharat (rural India)" was presented in parliament.
Mr Gadkari said that he was happy the government was going to increase the volume of credit for the farm sector to Rs 11 lakh crore.
The minister also said that the government would boost the creation of jobs.
Manmohan Singh "worried about fiscal arithmetic" of the budget
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has said that he was "worried" about the 2018 budget's "fiscal arithmetic". Dr Singh said that it would be hard to fund the freebies that were promised in the budget.
"How will you meet the MSP plus 50," Dr Singh added, referring to the promise of providing production cost plus 50 per cent as the minimum support price, or MSP, to farmers.
Former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has said that he was "worried" about the 2018 budget's "fiscal arithmetic". Dr Singh said that it would be hard to fund the freebies that were promised in the budget.
"How will you meet the MSP plus 50," Dr Singh added, referring to the promise of providing production cost plus 50 per cent as the minimum support price, or MSP, to farmers.
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