THE UNION Budget 2022-23 was anything but what a budget should be. It gave a grand idea of the future, but not much of this intent was translated into monetary provisions. After Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman ended her speech—her shortest so far—on the floor of Parliament, a phrase she repeatedly used trended on social media: amrit kaal, which loosely translates to “era of elixir”. “This Budget seeks to lay the foundation and give a blueprint to steer the economy over the amrit kaal of the next 25 years—from India at 75 to India at 100, said Sitharaman in her speech. With this preamble, one can only read or analyse the budget in future terms, which themselves have not been defined.
Expectations from this budget were already fuelled by the promise of a New India” in 2022 or India@75”. 2022 is the year the government is due to fulfil the promises defined in the NITI Aayog's “Strategy for New India@75 announced in 2018. From becoming a US $4 trillion economy to generating employment for women, doubling farmers' income and eradicating poverty, there are some 41 targets under this strategy, of which at least 17 have a deadline in 2022.
But according to an analysis of all government data, published in Down To Earth's “State of India's Environment 2022” report, the country is likely to miss nearly all the targets because of slow progress. Thus, the Union Budget 2022-23 and the Economic Survey 2021-22 were eagerly awaited to understand where the country stood.
Denne historien er fra February 16, 2022-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra February 16, 2022-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara
