Ahmedabad, Feb 1 (PTI) Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Saturday said the "citizen first" Union Budget will fulfil the hopes of crores of poor and middle class people and give a new direction to fulfilling the resolution of a developed India by 2047.

No tax on income up to Rs 12 lakh per annum provides a big relief to crores of employed and middle class people in the country, he said.

"The Union Budget 2025-26 presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharamanji under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendrabhai Modi is a citizen-first budget that is going to fulfil the hopes and expectations of crores of people, especially the poor and middle class. I welcome this budget on behalf of the entire Gujarat," Patel said in a statement.

The prime minister has made a promise that the states of the country should also be developed to realise the vision of a developed India, he said, and thanked the PM as well as Sitharaman for giving a "comprehensive budget that fulfils this promise and is beneficial for all sections of the society".

In a post on X, Patel said, "By not imposing any tax on annual income up to Rs 12 lakh, the central government has dedicated its income of Rs 1 lakh crore to the employed and middle class people. This decision under the guidance of the prime minister is a big gift for the common citizens." He added that the budget gives "new consciousness in fulfilling the resolution of Developed India by 2047.

The budget focuses on four pillars - agriculture, MSMEs, investment and export - to give further impetus to GYAN - Garib (poor), Yuva (youth), Annadata (farmers) and Naari Shakti (women), he said.

This budget realises the mantra of self-reliant India with the resolve to make India the third largest economy in the world, he said. PTI KA PD NP

Income tax exemption for middle income earners provides relief and prioritises a citizen first fiscal push for agriculture and MSMEs. The Union Budget is presented as a citizen first fiscal package providing income tax exemption for salaried and employed persons as relief to the poor and middle class. It prioritises four pillars-agriculture, MSMEs, investment and export-linked to social themes (poor, youth, farmers, women) and promotes a self reliant growth strategy aimed at advancing national development goals.