New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman The Center on Thursday said the fund was not a “free pool of cash to be used at will” and asserted that every rupee of taxpayers’ money has been accounted for and funds would not be denied or stopped to any country or any scheme. She dismissed opposition accusations that funding had been cut and said the release of funds was linked to on-the-ground delivery.Reply to discussion about Budget On the RS front, FM said India is on a strong growth trajectory with low unemployment and an expanding middle class. Sitharaman said that through sustained efforts, planning, timely intervention and reforms, India is experiencing a rare phase of high macroeconomic growth and low inflation. She said the budget step shows determination to build a resilient and self-reliant India.Addressing criticism of welfare funds, Sitharaman said, “Earlier, success was measured by how much money was released without ensuring expenditure. This created a huge float. We now have absolute transparency. We do not release funds blindly to account for the expenditure; we release funds only when needed at the grassroots level. Funds will not be denied or stopped to any state or scheme. Every rupee of taxpayers’ money is accounted for.” The center’s funds are not a free pool of cash. They are the hard-earned contribution of every Indian. “Slamming Congress for “crying crocodile tears over rising debt,” she said the opposition wants the government to borrow more and release money to states. “Government cannot overborrow. This principle guides us. Congress is obsessed with spending, but we only fund results. We want results,” she added.Sitharaman denied accusations of high inflation, saying inflation was at historically low levels and there was no inflation crisis. “Inflation has been contained due to stabilization and measures taken by the government. Growth without jobs is the story of the UPA era,” she said.Attacking the TMC-led Bengal government, she alleged that it had failed to implement Centre-sponsored welfare schemes and deprived the people of their benefits. She also refuted the DMK’s claim that there were no major announcements for Tamil Nadu, which is going to polls, outlining the state’s budget proposals.Reacting to former finance minister Chidambaram’s remarks that the Budget was “forgettable”, Sitharaman said, “The Budget will never forget the past. Cherish the glorious past, but learn from the tarnished past and avoid repeating the same mistakes.” These remarks came amid the ongoing political debate in the Parliament.
