Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
| Photo Credit: AP
The government ensured that no one went hungry during the pandemic by providing free foodgrains to 80 crore poor people, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on February 1.
Also Read | Union Budget 2023-24 live updates
In times of global challenges, G-20 presidency gives an opportunity to strengthen India’s role in the global order, she added.
The government is implementing the scheme to supply free foodgrains to the poor under Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Ann Yojana (PMGKAY) with expenditure of ₹2 lakh crore from January 1, the Finance Minister said.
Agriculture and allied sector growth has been buoyant through the years on the back of the measures adopted by the government to augment crop and livestock productivity, returns to farmers through price support and by promoting crop diversification. Private investment in the agriculture sector has increased by 9.3% in FY21 (7% in FY20).