Union budget will create new India, empower women: Guj CM

Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani Friday hailed the 2019-20 Union Budget stating that it would lay the foundation of a new India and would also bring about women's empowerment in a major way.

"The budget presented by the first full-time woman finance minister (Nirmala Sitharaman) will lay the foundation for building a new India. The budget focuses on infrastructure development, water and renewable energy," he said.

"A woman finance minister has concentrated on women empowerment by giving 'nari tu Narayani' (woman is equivalent to God) slogan. Women's participation in economy will give wings to the development of the country," he added.

Rupani also welcomed the fact that rich people have been taxed more, claiming that it would create a new source of income for development of the country.

"It is proper to tax rich people for the development of the poor," he said.

He welcomed the budget's focus on farmers, employment, startups and higher education.