Nirmala Sitharaman: ‘Wish I could Cut Taxes to Zero, Not Here to Trouble People’

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressed a desire to reduce taxes as much as possible, emphasizing that her primary role is to generate revenue rather than burden citizens. Speaking at the 11th convocation ceremony of the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Bhopal, she highlighted the importance of funding research and development, especially in the context of India’s commitment to energy transition. She noted that India cannot rely on external funding and stressed that the country has fulfilled its Paris Agreement promises using its own resources.

Sitharaman conveyed that it can be demotivating to justify high taxes to the public and expressed a wish for lower taxes. She encouraged students to innovate and contribute to India’s progress towards becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ (Developed India). “My role is to generate revenue, but not to trouble people, I assure you,” she said.

She also discussed India’s advancements in space research and the swift deployment of 5G technology, acknowledging that Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) is still working on rolling out 4G. She assured that BSNL has received ample support and will soon be advancing to 5G. “We haven’t borrowed the technology from elsewhere; it’s developed by people like you, which is a significant achievement for India,” Sitharaman added.