"South tax devolution debate is politically motivated"

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, after presenting the Interim Budget, talks about optimism in the economy, household savings, and more 

Nirmala Sitharaman has helmed the finance portfolio in the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government for the past five years. In her current term as Finance Minister, she has had to deal with a pandemic, global slowdown and more. And in an election year, she chose to shun populism in the Interim Budget. In an exclusive interview with Rahul Kanwal, News Director of India Today and Aaj Tak, and Executive director of Business Today, and BTTV Managing Editor Siddharth Zarabi, she talks about the economy, growth, and secularism, among other things. Edited excerpts:

RAHUL KANWAL: When you do a temperature check of the Indian economy, what is it that gives you the greatest optimism, and what is it that’s making you the most concerned?