Welfare Of Poor, Women, Farmers Centre's Highest Priority: Nirmala Sitharaman

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said for this government, social justice is an effective and necessary governance model.

Meeting the needs and fulfilling the aspirations of four "major castes" -- the poor, women, the youth and farmers -- of the country are the government's highest priority, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman asserted on Thursday. Presenting the interim budget for 2024-25, she said the government is working with an approach to ensure development that is all-round, all-pervasive and all-inclusive.

"It covers all castes and people at all levels. We are working to make India 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047. For achieving this goal, we need to improve people's capability and empower them," she said.

There is a need to focus on "four major castes" that are "garib" (the poor), "mahilayen" (women), "yuva" (the youth) and "annadata" (the farmer), the Finance Minister said and asserted that their needs, aspirations and welfare are "our highest priority".