Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman today concluded pre-Budget meetings for forthcoming Union Budget 2021-22. Ms. Sitharaman chaired the pre-budget consultation meetings held in virtual mode from 14th December till date. More than 170 invitees representing 9 stakeholder groups participated in 15 meetings scheduled during this period. The stakeholder groups include, Financial and Capital Markets, Health, Education and Rural Development, Water and Sanitation, Trade Union and Labour Organization, Industry, Services and Trade, Infrastructure, Agriculture and Agro Processing Industry, Industrialists and Economists. The stakeholder groups made several suggestions on various issues including Fiscal Policy, including Taxation, Bond Markets, Insurance, Infrastructure Spending, Health and Education Budget, Social Protection, Skilling, Water Harvesting and Conservation, Sanitation, MGNREGA. Suggestions were also given on Public Distribution System, Ease of Doing Business, Production Linked Investment scheme, Exports, Innovation, Green Growth, Non-Polluting sources of Energy and Vehicles, among others. The participants lauded the government’s efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve and a strong recovery in economic growth in the second quarter of 2020-21. Ms Sitharaman assuring the participants that all suggestions will be carefully considered while preparing the Budget 2021-22.
