India, Feb. 3 -- The Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government has sought to respect the taxpayer instead of following a rent-seeking approach, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday, emphasising that the huge tax relief announced in Saturday's Union Budget was an acknowledgement of the contribution of citizens who pay their fair share towards nation-building, or, as she repeatedly stressed, a manifestation of "respect".

The headline-grabbing tax cuts were not the only economic catalyst set in motion by the government, but the move could also have the follow-on benefit of driving discretionary spending and drive a consumption-led recovery in the economy, Sitharaman said in an interview with Hindustan Times and Mint a day af...