Sitharaman holds pre-Budget consultations with states, UTs

Key Highlights

• The Governor of Manipur, Chief Ministers of Delhi, Goa, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Meghalaya and Sikkim, as well as Deputy Chief Ministers of Arunachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana attended the consultations.
• Finance Ministers of various States and union Territories, senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and Secretaries from the Departments of Economic Affairs, Expenditure and Revenue were also part of the discussions.
• Emphasising the importance of States in India’s growth story, Sitharaman said the Centre values the “constructive and pragmatic suggestions” of State governments in shaping a Budget that reflects grassroots priorities.
• “The union Budget must respond to the aspirations of States while ensuring macroeconomic stability and inclusive growth,” she said, according to official sources.
• Several States are understood to have raised issues related to enhanced capital expenditure support, flexibility in borrowing limits, timely release of central funds and greater allocations for social sector schemes.