PM interacts with economists ahead of Budget, FM not present in meeting

New Delhi: Ahead of the Union Budget for 2020-21, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday met economists and sector experts at the Niti Aayog to discuss the state of the economy and steps which can be taken to revive growth which is projected to drop to 5 per cent this fiscal.

The high-profile meeting was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari, besides Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Rajiv Kumar, CEO Amitabh Kant and other senior officials of the think-tank.

Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi meets top economists of the country, at Niti Aayog, ahead of the Union Budget. Home Minister Amit Shah, Union Ministers Piyush Goyal and Nitin Gadkari also present pic.twitter.com/fFqqTRqmtQ

— ANI (@ANI) January 9, 2020

Bibek Debroy, chairman of the Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister, too was present at the meeting which discussed a host of issues, including those related to agriculture, infrastructure sectors.

The meeting assumes significance as the government is in the process of formulating Budget proposals for 2020-21, the focus of which is likely to be on accelerating economic growth which is estimated to slip to an 11-year low of 5 per cent during 2019-20.

The Prime Minister on Monday interacted with top business tycoons to discuss the issues facing the economy and measures needed to boost growth and create jobs.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will be presenting her second Union Budget on February 1.