Budget without populism and with capital outlays powers growth, jobs: PM

Describing the Budget for the fiscal year starting April 1 as reflective of his governance approach, PM Modi said the document is a good reflection of our governance style and priorities.

Calling productive spending a hallmark of his government, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the just unveiled Union Budget deliberately avoided short-term populism and instead channelled record capital outlays into infrastructure to drive jobs and sustainable growth.

In an exclusive interview with PTI, Modi said his government has used its years in office to plug "structural gaps left behind by earlier administrations", pursued bold reforms and laid the foundations for a developed India. He asserted that the latest Budget marks the "next level" of that journey.

Describing the Budget for the fiscal year starting April 1 as reflective of his governance approach, Modi said the document "is a good reflection of our governance style and priorities".

"This Budget represents the next level in this journey, imparting momentum to our 'Reform Express.' It is designed to accelerate momentum and prepare our youth for the opportunities of a rapidly changing world," the prime minister told PTI.

He cited the pre-Budget Economic Survey to state that capital accumulation, labour formalisation, and digital public infrastructure together have elevated India' potential growth rate to 7 per cent.

"Productive spending has been a hallmark of our government. The high capital expenditure reflects our focus on infrastructure and capital investment, which are strong engines for long-term growth," he said in the written interview to PTI.