New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday said that the government believes in "empowering the poor" and in the last ten years, at least 25 crore people have been assisted to get freedom from multidimensional poverty.

Sitharaman said that fulfilling aspirations and needs of Garib (poor), Mahilaye (women), Yuva (youth) and Annadata (farmers) are the highest priority of the government.

“When the poor become empowered partners in the development process, the government's power to assist them also increases manifold,” the Finance Minister said while presenting the 2024 Interim Budget in Lok Sabha.

She said that direct benefit transfer (DBT) of 34 lakh crore rupees using PM Jan Dhan accounts has led to saving of 2.7 lakh crore to the government, which has strengthened the welfare of the poor.

Sitharaman said that 78 lakhs street vendors were given credit assistance under PM Swanidhi scheme while end to end support was given to artisans and craftsmen under PM Vishwakarma Yojna.

“Under the PM Kisan Samman Scheme, every year direct cash assistance was given to 11.8 crore farmers, including marginal and small farmers,” she said.

She said that Garib Kalyan, Desh ka kalyan (welfare of poor is welfare of the nation) and country progresses, when they (poor) progress.

On Thursday, after securing President Draupadi Murmu's assent to the interim budget, the Finance Minister reached Parliament House along with her two ministers of state where the interim budget was approved in the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by PM Modi.

This is the last budget of the second term of the Modi government.

(IANS)