Pics by Justin Dsilva

Daijiworld Media Network – Udupi (TP)

Udupi, July 14: “The BJP’s nine-year rule has been marked and dominated by ‘Seva’ especially during the Covid-19 pandemic period when BJP workers helped the needy,” said union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman here on Friday, July 14.

Addressing an intellectual meet organised by the district BJP unit at the Country Inn Manipal, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “the government has focused on three topics - seva, inclusion and improvement of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). If poverty in India continues, the mission of garibi hatao will also continue. Providing for free cooking gas, water supply to all homes and basic amenities will definitely empower people. BJP has given good governance with zero corruption, and efficient use of money.”

Talking about MSMEs, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “We have focused on empowerment of the poor and the middle-class people through MSMEs. The Udyam Portal got good response from people with more than nine crore people having registered with the portal. Importance has been given for the exports of products manufactured by MSMEs. A outlay of Rs 22,138 crore has been earmarked for MSME sector in the budget. The government has always worked for the development of small scale industry and MSMEs are the back bone of India. A lot of improvement has been seen in collection of income tax and only people who earn up to Rs 7,27,000 will pay income tax to the government. Availability of medicines at cheap prices through Janaushadi Kendras has also helped in the alleviating of the condition of the poor as the government has substantially reduced prices of drugs.”

Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman also informed that the PSUs have bought nearly 33 per cent of the product manufactured by MSMEs. “Compliance burden has also been removed. The ONDC network has got good response globally, ” she said.

Representatives of various organisations and heads of various institutions aired their grievances and gave suggestions besides submitting memoranda to finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the occasion.

During the interactive session, the members of ABVP queried on lower allocation for space technology in the budget. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Some projects are time consuming ones. If every allocation has been completed by last year then such schemes would not continue this year. We have earmarked funds for projects that are in progress.”

Shashank, a student of T A Pai Institute of Management questioned about the government strategy to sustain and improve the progress made in addressing India’s twin balance sheet problem and how would these improvements contribute to the country’s overall economic growth and stability in the long term.

In reply, Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Balancing twin balance sheet no longer exists. The banks are focusing on expanding on their core banking activity. That is why NPAs that are lying with them having been cut from the bank’s balance sheet and given to NARC, which will reconstruct the portfolio and then sell them. India is in a twin balance sheet advantageous position.”

When Poonam Shetty from Dream Holidays and past president of Power NGO sought an decrease in the TCS to which Nirmala Sitharaman said the tax is levied on bulk group travelers who travel abroad.

Karnataka State federation of petroleum dealers, Bengaluru submitted a memorandum to finance minister demanding the minister to add them in TCS mode and remove them from TDS mode.

When Kiran Kumar, Udupi representative of C A Association asked whether GST is a good and a simple tax levy and whether MSME is a seamless credit to which Nirmala Sitharaman said, “If it is necessary for simplification in tax I will inform the GST council. There is no attempt to make it harsher but equal."

She said refunds on input tax have been obtained by various companies. "The payments are done using artificial intelligence and refunds are made for no buying and selling and no GST officer can be accused. We did not see any failure in this," she said.

Rotary International requested the finance minister to look into the issue of brain drain among students who were pursuing their education in India but were flying abroad in search of job opportunities and contributing to the economy of some other country.

Kuilady Suresh Nayak welcomed the gathering. Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman inaugurated the programme by lighting the lamp.

District BJP members felicitated finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the occasion.

Uday Kumar Shetty, Mangalore division BJP in-charge, Kiran kumar Kodgi MLA of Kundapur, Yashpal Suvarna MLA of Udupi, Raghupathi Bhat, former MLA, Mahesh Takur, president Udupi city BJP, Mattar

Rathnakar, past president, Udupi district BJP, Panduranga president intellectual wing and representatives from various associations were present.