New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a crucial meeting with top ministers to devise the government's strategy for the ongoing Parliament session, anticipating the third day of the Budget session.

Attending the meeting were key figures including Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, and Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal.

The government recently unveiled the Union Budget for the fiscal year 2024-25, emphasizing economic policies geared towards fostering growth, ensuring inclusive development, boosting productivity, and creating opportunities across various sectors. Special focus was pledged to uplift the eastern region, encompassing Bihar, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and West Bengal, aiming to transform them into growth hubs and propel India towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.

No alterations were proposed in the tax rates during the interim budget presentation. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced the formation of a high-powered committee to thoroughly examine challenges stemming from rapid population growth. Additionally, a white paper comparing the economic performance of the BJP-led government's last ten years to the previous ten years under the Congress-led UPA government is slated for release.

With Lok Sabha elections anticipated in April-May, this budget marks the Modi government's final one in its second term. Sitharaman, presenting her sixth budget in the Lok Sabha, expressed confidence in the BJP-led NDA securing power once again.

However, opposition parties criticized the budget. Congress leader P Chidambaram lamented the lack of focus on unemployment, alleging the government's bias towards the wealthy. He accused the NDA of being "a government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich." Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge echoed similar sentiments, describing the interim budget as lacking accountability and vision.

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