Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman allocated more than Rs 35,000 crore as the government is set to revamp Post-Matric scholarships to help 4 crore Scheduled Caste students. "We have revamped the post-matric scholarship scheme for the welfare of the Scheduled Caste students. I have also enhanced the central assistance in this regard. We are allowing Rs 35,219 crore for six years till 2026 to help 4 crore SC students," she added.
The global economy, which was slowing down, was pushed into uncertainty due to COVID-19. The risk of not having a lockdown was far more, far too high, said the Finance Minister. Amid the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, the Finance Minister presented a paperless budget. This is the first time in India's history that a paperless Union Budget was presented. As the budget papers will not be printed, the Finance Minister has also launched an official mobile app to provide complete access to all budget documents. The mobile app can be downloaded from the Union Budget Web Portal www.indiabudget.gov.in.
The Finance Minister had assured a budget “like never before”. The budget 2021 has a greater significance as it comes amid the COVID-19 pandemic which has caused economic disruption.
FM Nirmala Sitharaman replaced the Swadeshi 'bahi khata' and switched to a tablet. She was seen carrying a tablet kept inside a red coloured cover with a golden coloured national emblem embossed on it. The Economic Survey 2020, presented by FM Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday pegged the GDP growth at 11 per cent in FY22.