Guwahati, Feb 27 (IANS): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday met with trade and industry representatives, economists and policy experts as part of her Budget outreach programme and said the northeast industries should have all required facilities.

During the interactive session, she said that the government is steadily moving towards a less regressive regime and to help close all disputes pertaining to taxation. She was accompanied by Finance Secretary Rajeev Kumar, DEA Secretary Atanu Chakraborty, SBI chairman Rajnish Kumar, and Revenue Secretary A.B. Pandey.

Sitharaman said the local Self Help Groups will be given greater access to credit for on-lending to the needy people to start or expand their small businesses which will supplement the economy. She also said that traditional industries in the northeast should have facilities to exhibit themselves.

The interactions are oriented towards various themes and provisions in Union Budget 2020-21, presented in Parliament on February 1. The minister is slated to meet with bankers also. These interactions are part of a series of meetings which held by her across the country after her Budget speech in Parliament to familiarise people with the Budget proposals. She has held similar meetings in Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad.