'Highlight pro-people aspects of Union budget': PM Modi tells MPs during parliamentary party meet

The prime minister also asked the party leaders, especially those from cities, to organise sports meets, noting that there is a view that the youth there are not much involved in sports.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday (February 7) asserted that the interests of the poor have been at the centre of every budget presented by his government.

Addressing the first BJP parliamentary party meeting after Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced Budget 2023 on February 1, he said no one is calling it a "chunavi budget" (budget influenced by polls) even though it was the last full-fledged one before the next Lok Sabha polls.

"Overall development and the interests of every section of society have driven its proposals," he said.

Even those who have been ideologically opposed to the BJP have welcomed the budget, Union minister Pralhad Joshi told reporters quoting Modi's speech to the MPs.

The prime minister also asked the party leaders, especially those from cities, to organise sports meets, noting that there is a view that the youth there are not much involved in sports. "Foreign guests visiting India for various G20 meetings have appreciated the way the country has organised them," he added.

In his address, the prime minister also spoke about the devastating earthquake which has hit Turkey and Syria and noted that India is providing all possible assistance. 

An Indian team is on the way with all the assistance, he said. Modi also recalled the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, noting the scale of the tragedy and how he can relate to the situation in these countries.