The Union Budget for 2023-24 is focused on growth and welfare with a priority to provide support to farmers, women, marginalised sections and the middle class, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday.

Singh said the budget proposals will lead the country towards achieving its goal of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy and "top three" economies globally within a few years.

The defence minister said the Budget demonstrated the government's commitment towards supporting growth and welfare oriented policies that will benefit all sections of society including small businesses owners, farmers, and professionals alike.

"The Union Budget for 2023-24 presented by FM Smt. @nsitharaman ?under the guidance of PM Shri @narendramodi is focused on growth and welfare, with a priority to provide support to farmers, women, marginalised sections and the middle class," he tweeted.

"By creating jobs through investments in infrastructure projects paired with increased spending on agriculture, housing, healthcare and manufacturing sectors will help create more opportunities for everyone and help in driving economic growth further ahead!," he said.

Singh said the budget proposals will drive economic growth further.

"The increase in Income Tax exemption limit to Rs 7 lakhs and several other tax related reforms will provide a huge relief to middle class including salaried individuals and retired people. I congratulate the FM and thank Pradhanmantri ji for taking this people friendly decision.

"The Union Budget 2023-24 is expected to bring about positive changes in the country that will lead us towards achieving our goal of becoming a USD 5 trillion economy and 'Top Three' economies within few years," he said in another tweet.

Meanwhile, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also said the Union Budget has laid a solid foundation for transforming India into a technology-driven, knowledge-based economy.

Reacting to the announcements made by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her budget speech in Lok Sabha, Pradhan said the Union Budget for 2023-24 has drawn a meticulous blueprint for "India@100".

"Giving a boost to education, skill dev, entrepreneurship, R&D, digital infrastructure, green growth & job creation, #AmritKaalBudget draws a meticulous blueprint for India@100 and lays a solid foundation for transforming India into a technology-driven knowledge-based economy," Pradhan tweeted.

Three centres of excellence for artificial intelligence in top educational institutions, 100 labs in engineering institutions for developing applications using 5G services, ?national digital library for children and adolescents for facilitating availability of quality books across geographies, languages and genres and recruitment of 38,000 teachers and support staff in the next three years for 740 Eklavya Model Residential Schools are among the announcements made by Sitharaman for the education sector.?

"...a brilliant, people-centric and growth-stimulating #AmritKaalBudget that includes everyone, empowers poor & middle class, that reaches the last mile and that brings cheer to all," Pradhan said.