Nirmala Sitharaman praises India Inc in Budget speech, says country's job creators are nation's wealth creators

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday praised India Inc in her Budget 2019 speech by saying that the country's job creators are the nation's wealth creators. "India Inc, our job creators, is the nation`s wealth creators. Together, we can prosper. I wish to propose a number of reforms to kick start virtuous cycle of growth," she said, while while presenting the Union Budget for 2019-20 in the Lok Sabha. 

"When we aspire to reach 5 trillion dollars, many wonder whether it is possible. The target is eminently achievable. Given our citizens` desire and the leadership of the government," she added. Earlier, she said that the objective of her government was a strong nation and a strong citizen. "Our objective was and continues to be `Mazboot Desh Ke Liye Mazboot Nagrik'." 

The Finance Minister hopes India to become a $3 trillion economy by the end of the current year itself. "The Indian economy will grow to become a $3 trillion economy in the current year itself. It is now the sixth largest in the world. Five years ago it was at the 11th position," she said in her maiden Budget speech.

Sitharaman also said that the BJP-led government has added one trillion dollars to the Indian economy in five years whereas it took 55 years to reach that number earlier. "It took us over 55 years to reach $1 trillion dollar economy. But when the hearts are filled with hope, trust and aspiration, we in just 5 years, added $1 trillion," she said. Sitharaman added that the first term of Narendra Modi-led NDA govt "stood out as a performing government". She said between 2014-2019 he (Modi) provided a rejuvenated Centre-state dynamics, cooperative federalism, GST council and strident commitment to fiscal discipline.