The Finance Minister began her Budget speech at 11 a.m. for the third time in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government led by Prime Minister Modi.
In a tweet after the Budget, he said, "Forget putting cash in the hands of people, Modi Govt plans to handover India's assets to his crony capitalist friends."
Damodar Kochkar, president of the Goa Small Industries Association said that the focus on infrastructure spending was a good sign for the small industries.
The additional deduction of 1.5 lakh shall therefore be available for loans taken up to 31st March 2022, for the purchase of the affordable housing, Sitharaman said.
"For accessible higher education in Ladakh. I propose to set up a central university in Leh," said Sitharaman while presenting the Budget in the Parliament.
Unveiling the PSE policy in Budget 2021-22, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said barring four strategic areas, public sector companies in other sectors will be divested.
In the first paperless Union Budget, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said investor charter would be introduced as a right of all financial investors across all financial products.
India had earlier in January approved two vaccines -- Oxford's Covishield manufactured by SII and Bharat Biotech's Covaxin -- for restricted emergency use.
A major portion of the legislative agenda would include introduction and passage of several economic bills that aim at carrying the reform agenda of the government.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had announced that a new policy on PSU privatisation will be announced whereby a list of strategic sectors requiring presence of PSEs in public interest will be notified.
