LAYING FOUNDATION OF FUTURE BHARAT

THE FIRST BUDGET OF THE AMRIT KAAL 1S IMPORTANT IN MANY ASPECTS AS IT ADDRESSES MANY SECTORS LOOKING AT THE GLOBAL CHALLENGES AND KEEPING THE AMBITION OF COMMON MAN IN MIND

- K A BADARINATH

Bharat’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented a responsible Budget on behalf of the BJP-led Government.

Conservative in content and spirit, the Budget for 2023 has a grand vision for taking Bharat to the big boys club globally. It lays the foundation for Bharat’s centennial run in 2047 by the time it seeks to evolve as an independent, inclusive and developed economy that is sustainable.

The Rs 45 lakh crores Budget’s swan song is to best utilise the Amrit Kaal, intervening 25 years to get there and become big. It’s in continuation of the Bharat @ 2047 line given in both the Presidential speech and pre- Budget economic survey on January 31.

Women’s empowerment, skilling our vast human resources, expanding the tourism industry and achieving green growth are areas identified in the grand vision.

Seven priorities laid-out by the Narendra Modi Government point out to reshaping Bharat’s economic and development paradigm. Nirmala Sitharaman gave the Budget a civilisational connect by christening these priorities as saptarishis that guided this country for millennia.

CIVILISATIONAL CONNECT

Finance Minister, who has now turned a veteran with her fifth Budget presentation in a row, the tenth by the Narendra Modi Government. She did not lose sight of larger macro-economic fundamentals. And, she treaded a cautious path.