Parliament budget session highlights: Govt works for poor, 'not cronies or Damads,' says FM Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will on Saturday, February 13, reply to discussion on the Union Budget in the Lok Sabha. The lower house of the parliament will go into recess on Saturday evening and reconvene on March 8. Ahead of FM Sitharaman's reply, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has instructed all its MPs (Member of Parliament) to be present in the house. The finance minister, while replying to the discussion on Budget 2021 in Rajya Sabha on Friday, February 12, slammed the opposition accusing it of weaving a false narrative that the Centre only worked for cronies. She added that several of the government's schemes were for the poor.

Follow all the live updates on FM Sitharaman's Parliament debate today on BusinessToday.In: -

11.24 am: Parliament live updates: Centre will allocate more funds for MGNREGA if needed, says FM Sitharaman

The finance minister said that the government will allocate more funds for the rural job scheme 'MGNREGA' for 2021-22 if needed, against a budget estimate of Rs 73,000 crore.

11.20 am: Our cronies are common people of this country: FM Sitharaman

Slamming the opposition, the finance minister said, "Where are the cronies? They're hiding probably in the shadow of that party which has been rejected by the people. The shadows who were invited to even develop a port. They invited, no open tenders, no global tenders. Who are our cronies? Our cronies are the common 'janta' of this country."

11.16 am: Parliament live updates: FM Sitharaman on Rahul Gandhi's 'Hum 2 Hamare 2' remark

Replying to budget discussion in Lok Sabha, the finance minister said, "'Hum 2 hamare 2' is that - we're 2 people taking care of party & there are 2 other people who I've to take care, daughter and damad will take care of that. We don't do that. Rs 10,000 is given to 50 lakh street traders as working capital for 1 year. They aren't anyone's cronies."

11.14 am: Budget session 2021: FM Sitharaman attacks Congress, Robert Vadra

Tearing into the Congress party, Robert Vadra, the finance minister said, "PM SVANidhi Yojana, for those who are constantly accusing us of dealing with cronies - SVANidhi doesn't go to cronies. Damads get land in states which are governed by some parties - Rajasthan, Haryana once upon a time."

11.09 am: FM Sitharaman tears into Rahul Gandhi

Attacking Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, the finance minister slammed him for using budget speech for farm issues. She added that Congress' 2019 manifesto backed farm laws.

11.02 am: Parliament budget session 2021: PM Modi working for poor, backward, Dalits, says FM

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in her budget speech, said that the prime minister is working for backward, Dalits, and poor people. She added that the people of India have faith in PM Modi.

10.57 am: Centre taking holistic approach to health, says FM Sitharaman

Talking about health and well-being of people, the finance minister said, "In the Budget speech, I very clearly said, we're taking a holistic approach to health. It's addressing preventive health, it is addressing curative health, it is also addressing well-being. Otherwise, you are not going to get holistic health-related governance."

10.53 am: Parliament budget session: FM defends defence allocation

"There is mention about Defence getting no mention in speech, why hiding details about Defence?...Rs 1,16,931 crore Defence expenditure in 2013-14, this being so huge, unless we pair it down into 3 compartments, you aren't going to get a true picture-Revenue, Capital, Pension," says FM Sitharaman.

10.49 am: FM Sitharaman hits out a Mamata Banerjee

Fund for 69 lakh West Bengal farmers blocked, says the finance minister.

10.45 am: FM lists out schemes for farmers

9 crore farmers benefited from KISAN scheme: FM Sitharaman.

Attacking Congress for weaving a false narrative around the farmers' protest, the finance minister said, "don't shed crocodile tears for farmers."

10.43 am: Govt stands for free market approach, back wealth creators and entrepreneurs, says Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

10.39 am: FM Sitharaman attacks Congress for MNREGA mishandling

Slamming Congress for mishandling MNREGA, FM Sitharaman said the party used the scheme for its cronies and asked it to take credit for the mismanagement.

10.34 am: Budget session 2021: Reforms will pave way for making India top economy in the world, says FM Sitharaman.

10.29 am: Parliament budget session 2021

FM Sitharaman said the budget draws from the experience of PM Modi when he was Gujarat CM. She added that his tenure as the state's chief minister saw several revivals happening at that time. "This Budget draws from the experience of the PM when he was CM - on the ground in Gujarat, seen so many revivals happening at a time when the license quota raj was going away post-1991 & then based on that experience, commitment to reform was blended into this Budget," the finance minister added.

10.24 am: Budget 2021 set pace for India to become Atmanirbhar, says FM Sitharaman.

10.19 am: FM Sitharaman defends budget, govt reforms

Defending Budget 2021, the finance minister said the government didn't deter from announcing reforms, stimulus measures despite a challenging situation like the COVID-19 pandemic. She added that these reforms are necessary for sustaining long-term economic growth.

10.10 am: COVID-19 pandemic didn't deter govt, says FM Sitharaman

Budget session 2021: The coronavirus pandemic didn't deter the Centre in taking decisions concerning reforms to boost the economy, said FM Nirmala Sitharaman while replying to the discussion on Union Budget 2021 in Lok Sabha.

10.04 am: Parliament live updates

Lok Sabha Proceedings begin with a few MPs chanting 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans.

9.50 am: FM Sitharaman reply to budget discussion at 10 am

The finance minister will reply to the general discussion on the Union Budget when the Lok Sabha convenes at 10 am on Saturday, instead of the usual 4 pm.