'Interim Budget to benefit all sections of society'

Terming the interim Budget "historic", Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday said it is aimed at strengthening the economy and will benefit all sections of society.

Finance Minister Piyush Goyal presented the interim Budget for the 2019-20 in the Lok Sabha. He doled out tax sops to middle class, including doubling of income tax exemption limit to Rs 5 lakh, raising standard deduction to Rs 50,000, and provided concessions on interest income from bank deposits and rent.

"Our government wants the country's economy to get stronger and that was aim of the Budget. I would call it a historic Budget. It would benefit all sections of society," Singh told reporters outside Parliament.

Union ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and R K Singh dubbed the Budget a "surgical strike on the Opposition".

"This is the second surgical strike. First surgical strike was when our soldiers fought with bullets at the border and it will be the ballot this year. The Budget will benefit farmers," Paswan said.

Singh said the Opposition should welcome the Budget.

"I advice the Opposition to welcome the Budget and it felt like a surgical strike on the Opposition. It was shell-shocked. It should be happy because the people are happy," he said.

Union Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said the Budget will benefit the common man and the service class.

"It benefits the poor population too. Such a Budget has been presented after many years and it would help in empowering people of this country," he said.

"From health to education to farmers' welfare to gratuity, all areas have been covered and it would benefit the people," he added.

Congress leader Shashi Tharoor said, "There was a lot of fantasy language and castles being constructed in the air but very little actually happening in real terms."

However, he praised the tax exemptions introduced for the middle-class.