Union Budget 2019: Who said what

PM Narendra Modi
Describing the Union Budget as citizen friendly, development friendly and future oriented, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said it will empower the poor and provide the youth with a better future. Terming the Budget as one that extends "hope" and boosts "self confidence", he said the policies of the government will empower the downtrodden and turn them into a "power house" for the development of the country.
In a televised address after the Union Budget was tabled in Parliament, Modi said it is a "green budget" which focuses on the environment and pitches for green and clean energy and transportation needs.
BJP president Amit Shah
Praising the Union Budget as futuristic, BJP president Amit Shah said it reflects PM Modi's vision where farmers prosper, the poor lead a life of dignity, the middle class gets its due and Indian enterprise a boost.
Shah, also the Union home minister, said the budget highlights the "exemplary" work done in key sectors relating to the economy, housing, infrastructure and the social sectors over the last five years. It ignites a spirit of hope that India can become a USD 5 trillion economy in the coming years, he said.

Congress
"Budget for women related schemes was slashed by over Rs 2,000 crore in just two years (2017-18 - 2019-20). What India needs from Budget 2019 are apt resources and a comprehensive plan for women empowerment in the country," the Congress tweeted from its official handle.

NCP chief Sharad Pawar
"The Hon FM spoke about replicating Zero Budget Natural Farming model for the Agro sector, whilst at the same time not providing any solution or relief to the debt trap faced by farmers pan-India, leave alone referring to this serious issue in her speech," the NCP patron said.
He added, "The FM should have rolled out a definite action plan with a budgetary provision to double farmers' income by 2022, and solutions to solve the issues at hand faced by the farmers."

BJP's Working president J P Nadda
"This budget is dedicated to the poor people of the country, to dalits, to the farmers, to the youth and women of the country. It represents all sections of society. I really congratulate the finance minister.
Former finance minister Arun Jaitley
Arun Jaitley, the former finance minister, hailed the Union Budget 2019-20, which his successor Nirmala Sitharaman presented in the Lok Sabha on Friday. He said the budget besides being a policy document for boosting growth, serves the larger interest of all sectors of the economy.

Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, leader of Congress in Lok Sabha
The leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha said that there is nothing new in the budget and that it is a "repetition of old promises." "They are talking about new India but the budget is old wine in a new bottle. Nothing new, no plan for employment generation, no new initiatives," he said.
Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis
"It is a visionary budget, at the macroeconomic level, one can say that, it is a manifestation of PM's dream to make India a $5 trillion economy. The budget aims at transforming 'gaon, gareeb and kisan.'"

Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala
Calling the budget an "utterly lacklustre, nondescript, uninspiring and directionless", the Congress leader said that it was zero on economic revival, rural growth and job creation.
"Zero on Economic Revival. Zero on Rural Growth. Zero on Job Creation. Zero on Urban Rejuvenation. Can a mundane jugglery of ‘acronyms’ pass off for vision for a ‘New India’?" he asked.

AAP leader Raghav Chadha
"Every budget needs to be evaluated with respect to the country's prevailing economic situation. We face 4 big economic challenges at the moment. Does it address any of these?" he said.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
"By bringing in socio-economic transformation, it is a futuristic budget. It will be successful in taking India to $5 trillion economy. It has taken care of all the sections of society, be it poor, backward or rich people," he said.

Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot
"Budget for New India, as BJP proclaims has nothing new in it. Talk of PM's vision is fine but it should have a roadmap to achieve that vision, which the budget totally lacks. Without clarity on action plan, #Budget2019 seems hollow and fails to give hope to poor, labourers or farmers," he said.

Railway minister Piyush Goyal
Goyal said the finance minister has been very benign to the railways in the budget. "She has laid out a vision of investment of nearly Rs 50 lakh crore over the next 10 years. I would really like to thank her for strengthening the resolve of the railways," he said.

Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant
"Union Budget 2019 is very path breaking. It's a very comprehensive budget. We're particularly delighted as finance minister has acknowledged the role of Niti. But more important is the road map that she has set for laying down a vision for $5 trillion economy." Kant said.