I PRESENT the Budget for 2023-24. This is the first Budget in Amrit Kaal.” Going by the norms of presenting the Union Budget—a constitutional exercise—this first line of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was a departure from the tradition as it talked of transforming the country’s annual financial statement into a futuristic vision document. This practice has started only last year.
On February 1, 2022, Sitharaman introduced the Amrit Kaal (era of elixir) in her budget speech and defined it as the next 25 years of development to mark the country’s 100th independence year in 2047. She qualified the budget for 2022-23 as the one seeking “to lay the foundation and give a blueprint to steer the economy” during this era. In the budget, she claimed to roll out the first set of development tenets for this “era”. “This vision (of Amrit Kaal) focuses on three things: first, facilitating ample opportunities for citizens, especially the youth, to fulfil their aspirations; second, providing strong impetus to growth and job creation; and third, strengthening macro-economic stability.”
The budget 2023-24’s context makes it a defining one—it is the last full budget before the ruling National Democratic Alliance seeks re-election in May 2024, and being the first budget of the post-covid period, expectations were that it will lay out a blueprint for accelerating the Indian growth story as opposed to merely responding to the setbacks produced by the pandemic. This also means the crisis time in economic terms is over, and the budget should now reflect the intention to build on pre-pandemic economic indicators.
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Denne historien er fra February 16, 2023-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