Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Responds to Middle-Class Relief Appeal, Reaffirms Government’s Commitment

An X (formerly Twitter) user expressed admiration for Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and requested relief measures for India’s middle class. Acknowledging her efforts and understanding the challenges, the user, Tushar Sharma, wrote:

“@nsitharaman We deeply appreciate your efforts and contributions to the country, and you have our utmost admiration. I humbly request you to consider providing some relief for the middle class. I understand the immense challenges involved, but it’s just a heartfelt request.”

Sitharaman Responds, Assures Government’s Responsiveness

Hours later, Sitharaman responded, acknowledging the concerns and reaffirming the government’s attentiveness. She stated:

“Thank you for your kind words and your understanding. I recognise and appreciate your concern. PM @narendramodi’s government is a responsive government. Listens and attends to people’s voices. Thanks once again for your understanding. Your input is valuable.”

Sitharaman’s Stance on Middle-Class Relief

Earlier this year, Sitharaman addressed the challenges faced by the middle class, highlighting the government’s initiatives. In an interview, she said:

“I want to relieve the middle class but I have limitations too. I want to give relief by reducing the tax rate, which is why the standard deduction was increased from ₹50,000 to ₹75,000. Additionally, by raising the tax rate for higher-income groups, their tax liabilities also increased. The new tax regime was introduced with the goal of lowering tax rates compared to the old regime.”

She also emphasized her personal connection to these concerns, remarking: “I am also from the middle class… and understand their problems.”

Budget 2024: Tax Relief Measures

The Union Budget 2024 proposed significant changes to the new tax regime, offering benefits to individuals with taxable incomes up to ₹10 lakh. Under this regime, no tax is payable if taxable income does not exceed ₹7 lakh, providing relief to middle-class taxpayers. However, the basic exemption limit remained unchanged under both the old and new tax regimes.

Through these measures, the government aims to address middle-class concerns while balancing fiscal constraints.

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