New Delhi, Feb 1 Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on Sunday termed it a historic day as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Union Budget for the ninth time, calling it a significant achievement for the country and for women’s empowerment.
Speaking to IANS, Arjun Ram Meghwal said, “It is a historic day that our Finance Minister has presented the Union Budget for the ninth time. This is a historic achievement not only for the nation but also for women’s empowerment, the BJP, and the NDA.”
He said that the central focus of the budget is to make the lives of common people easier, whether they live in rural or urban areas.
“The budget that has been presented is wonderful. Our goal is to build a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, and with this budget, we are moving steadily in that direction,” he added.
Responding to criticism from the Opposition, Meghwal said that they are unwilling to acknowledge the country’s progress.
“They do not accept our development rate either. International agencies are saying that India is developing at a rate of around 7 per cent, but they refuse to recognise it. Around 25 crore people have been lifted out of poverty, yet they do not accept this fact. They should read the budget again; only then will they truly understand its vision and impact,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticised the Union Budget 2026-27 for reflecting the government's lack of policy vision and failure to offer solutions to key socio-economic challenges, including jobs, manufacturing, private investment, infrastructure and social security.
Pointing to "tariff risks and slowdown" in exports and trade, Kharge said Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman offered "no response to export slump, tariff risks, trade deficit, shrinking global share".
"The Narendra Modi-led Union government has run out of ideas. #Budget2026 does not provide a single solution to India's many economic, social, and political challenges," the Congress President said while hitting out at the absence of structural reforms in the Union Budget.
"This Budget offers no solutions, not even slogans to hide the absence of policy!" he noted, in a message on a social media platform
Alleging disappointment for farmers, the middle class and the marginalised sections in the Union Budget, Kharge said, "Mission Mode is now 'Challenge Route'. 'Reform Express' rarely stops at any 'Reform' Junction. Net result: No policy vision, no political will."
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