India’s Modi focuses on jobs creation in first budget after winning polls

Associated Press

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi plans to raise spending to create more jobs and spur economic growth. In her budget speech Tuesday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said the government is focused on driving domestic growth through jobs, training and small businesses. She said India’s fast growth, at 8.2% in the last fiscal year, is an exception at a time when the global economic outlook is uncertain. Modi is under pressure to generate more jobs and his budget is designed to appease crucial coalition partners he needs to stay in power after his party failed to win a majority on its own in recent elections.