Budget 2020 seeks to boost people's income and purchasing power, said the Minister.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman reacted caustically today to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's critique that the "longest Budget speech" had nothing and was "hollow".
The record 160-minute Budget speech started at 11 am and Nirmala Sitharaman stopped at around 1.40 pm, looking unwell. She told the Lok Sabha Speaker that only two pages were left and her Budget may be considered read.
"Every new scheme that we are announcing, ever step that we are taking, I detailed what all is in the Budget for youth. I accept that the speech was long, but I thought I'd detail specific benefits for youth, and I did," Ms Sitharaman said, responding to Rahul Gandhi's dig.
"Some people may not have expected the speech to be so long."
Mr Gandhi had called the Union Budget "hollow" and "tactical stuff without any central idea".
He told reporters: "Maybe this was the longest Budget speech in history but it had nothing, it was hollow.
The Congress MP also noted that there was not much about jobs in the Budget.
"The main issue facing (the country) is unemployment. I didn't see any strategic idea that would help our youth get jobs. I saw tactical stuff but no central idea. It describes government well, a lot of repetition, rambling- it is the mindset of the government, all talk, but nothing happening," Mr Gandhi said.
Ms Sitharaman, responding to questions that began with the reporter congratulating her, said: "Why don't you convey this to Rahul Gandhi?"
Budget 2020 seeks to boost people's income and purchasing power, said the Minister. The government has announced a cut in income tax rates and change slabs to lower tax incidence for those earning up to Rs 15 lakh a year.