EXCLUSIVE | Budget 2022: Hardeep Singh Puri Hails Allocation For Urban Development, Backs Tax Regime

Feb 01,2022

Hours after the Union Budget for the financial year 2022-23 was tabled, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri spoke on the announcement with respect to taxes. In an exclusive interview with Republic, Puri outlined that the last two years had been difficult for the country with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the government was exposed to the responsibility of providing three-time meals to over 80 crore people, who he fondly referred to as his 'brothers and sisters'.  Also, over 70 crore vaccines had to be provided 'free' to the population among other things. 

Calling the expectation of the people 'legitimate', the Union Minister said, "I hope that the already low taxes will come down if the government has no other needs to meet in the coming time."

'There are benefits going to the middle class'
At the same time, Hardeep Singh Puri maintained that there are benefits going to the middle class, the poor and the downtrodden in many other ways and went on to count those down. "When the government reduces excise on petrol by Rs 5 and on diesel by Rs 10, we have the same middle-class, poor and downtrodden people that we have in mind. Also, when we add public transport- to metros, we have the same section of people in mind," the BJP leader said.

'We had a very ambitious target'
Minister Hardeep Puri, who holds the portfolio of Housing and Urban Affairs, with reference to the same, outlined that they had 'very ambitious' targets right from the time of 2014. "I mean in 10 years between 2004-14, we had a total expenditure on urban rejuvenation of 1,57,000 crore. During seven years, rather six years, because the programme really started in 2015, the expenditure had already gone over seven times and stood at 11,50,000 crore."

Coming to the Budget 2022 allocations, the Minister added, "During fiscal year 22-23, we will have 80 lakh additional houses, both in the Gramin sector and in the urban sector to be made available for the beneficiaries, for which the total amount is Rs 48,000 crore. Of the total amount, the Urban ministry's share is Rs 28,000 crore."