Budget 2020: At 91 min, FM Sitharaman delivers shortest speech since 2019
Premium- In 2020, FM Sitharaman's Budget speech went on for 2 hours 40 minutes, which was the longest speech ever
Finance Minster Nirmala Sitharaman's this year wrapped up her budget presentation within just 1 hour and 30 minutes, which is in fact the shortest Budget speech since 2019. She started her speech around 11 am and it ended at around 12.30 in the afternoon. Last year, the FM's speech lasted for about one hour 48 minutes
In 2020, she hit the headlines, for delivering the longest budget speech ever that went on for 2 hours 40 minutes.
In 2019, her speech was 2 hours 17 minutes long.
Some budget trivia:
FM Sitharaman, who has earlier included Hindu, Urdu and Tamil couplets in her budget speeches, added just one quote from the Mahabharata this year.
The most used words in the budget speech this year are tax, digital and infrastructure
The budget lays foundation for next 25 yrs
FM Sitharaman, who presented her 4th Union Budget in the Lok Sabha, said that this year's budget will lay the foundation for India's economic growth and expansion for the next 25 years.
"This Union Budget seeks to lay the foundation and give a blueprint of the economy over Amrit Kal of next 25 years - from India at 75 to India at 100," Sitharaman said.
The Finance Minister also mentioned the government's focus will continue on boosting public investment to modernise infrastructure. One of the priority areas of the government in the coming years would be the PM Gati Shakti programme. Seven engines of the PM Gati Shakti initiative are roads, Railways, airports, ports, mass transport, waterways and logistics infra.
The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Budget 2022-23 which was presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament. The meeting began at around 10:20 am ahead of the Budget presentation.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Railways, Communications and IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, and others were present at the Parliament for the Union Cabinet Meeting ahead of the Budget presentation.
(With inputs from agencies)
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