FM Sitharaman presented budget data, Rahul mounted sharp attack

Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman has said that bio-pharma has been given key focus in the Union Budget 2026-27. The Minister reiterated that the Budget places strong emphasis on animal husbandry, farming and fisheries, stressing the government’s commitment to strengthening rural and agricultural sectors.

Mrs. Sitharaman told the Lok Sabha that the government aims to integrate skilling directly into mainstream education so that students do not have to wait until they graduate to acquire employable skills. She said that instead of completing their education and then searching for places to gain skills, students should receive this training as part of their academic journey. Sitharaman explained that this approach would enable young people to emerge from education confidently saying, “I can become an entrepreneur”.

She proposed that mega centres dedicated to entrepreneurship development be established alongside industrial clusters in various states. These hubs would serve as higher education-cum-skill development centres designed to nurture future entrepreneurs.

On other side, Leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi today mounted a sharp attack on the Union Budget 2026-27, accusing the government of compromising India’s strategic interests in a volatile global order and “selling” the country’s data in its trade engagement with the United States.

Speaking during the Budget discussion, Gandhi framed his remarks around what he described as a shift from global stability to instability, warning that India must protect its people, data, energy and food systems in an era of geopolitical conflict and financial weaponisation. (UPDATED ON 11TH FEBRUARY 2026)