No one went hungry during epidemic, Provided free food grains to 80 crore poor people: Sitharaman

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New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented the Budget 2023 in Parliament House. In her budget speech, she said the central government provided free food grains to 80 crore poor people during the COVID-19 pandemic and ensured that no person in the country goes hungry.

“With the G20 Presidency at a time of global challenges, we have an opportunity to strengthen India’s role in the global order,” she said.

The finance minister said the government is implementing a scheme to provide free food grains to poor people under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana (PMGKY), which will cost Rs 2 lakh crore starting January 1.

She said that private investment in agriculture sector has increased to 9.3 percent in 2020-21, which was 7 percent in 2019-20.

Earlier, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has reached Parliament House to present the budget for the first time with a red color tablet.

In hed budget speech, the Finance Minister said that priority is being given to the underprivileged. Agricultural credit card will be increased by 20 lakh crores. 6,000 crore will be given for PM Matsya Yojana. In 2022, UPI has paid Rs 126 lakh crore.