While the country continues to grapple with the health and economic crisis as a result of COVID-19, widespread hunger and food insecurity is a silent emergency that has not been getting sufficient attention. Unfortunately, the Union Budget also does not…
“Health Care Takes Centre Stage, Finally” was the title of a chapter in the Economic Survey 2020-21, released a few days ago. Sadly, as we look into the details of the budget figures, that does not seem to be the…
There is one central message of the Narendra Modi government to the people of India from Budget 2021-22: you will have to be ‘atmanirbhar’ because you’re on your own. The Central government does not have your back. In the midst…
Budget presentations have turned tiresome for some years now, and for many reasons. Their length, which tends to be way beyond that warranted by substance. The tendency to drone on about off-budget policy initiatives in Part A, most of which…
It hardly needs emphasizing that the context for the Union Budget for 2021-22 is an exceptional one. The country continues to face a highly uncertain future on both the pandemic and economic fronts and their mutual impact on each other.…
The union budget for the year 2021-22 would be placed in the parliament on the 1st February in India. This budget would be placed in a context of extreme demand depression following the Covid-19 induced lockdown. The economy needs to…
It is that time of year in India, when all eyes and ears turn to the Finance Minister to learn what she will unveil in the annual Union Budget. But it is a moot point whether, even in a year…
There are really only two numbers to look out for in the forthcoming budget: how much did the government claim to have spent in 2020-21, and how much does it intend to spend in 2021-22. These two numbers will determine…
As the Sensex hit the 50,000 mark this week for the first time ever, it is clear that the widening gulf between financial and the real sectors remains a matter of concern, both on grounds of the underlying inequities and…
It’s a paradox that has periodically recurred in recent times. Financial indicators are hugely favourable from the point of view of those who benefit from them, even when the performance of the real economy is poor or dismal. In this…
