The past year has been a rather difficult one for the economy. With the coronavirus pandemic in our midst, the economy has reeled from an unprecedented crisis not just in India but across the globe. Like the rest of the world, we in India are all waiting eagerly for more policy actions, among other things, to bring the much-needed green shoots of recovery. Coming against this backdrop, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s next Union Budget, likely to be presented in early February, will be keenly watched. Just how deep is the trouble facing our economy? What can be the remedies? What are the tools before the government to deliver us from the throes of a downturn? What will be reasonable, or not, to expect from the finance minister? Through its extensive coverage – news reportage, insightful columns, compelling views and special analyses –
Read more about Budget Byte: National Small Savings Fund to facilitate off-Budget spending? on Business Standard. What began with food security, off-Budget financing now caters heavily to a range of core spending areas
Read more about Budget Byte: Agriculture as a bright spot for Union Budget 2021-22 on Business Standard. Gross value added by agriculture did not dip in 2020-21; rather, it was the only sector that showed growth
Read more about Banking on Budget: Hope and reforms amid pandemic and fiscal deficit on Business Standard. The government has taken laudable steps to support and propel the economy in these difficult times, but a lot more still needs to be done, writes Vikas Vasal