My Budget: Shobhaa De

The writer and columnist says it is a politically astute Budget but can't be called 'populist'

Has Finance Minister P Chidambaram steered the economy out of the woods?
It's a bold and brave attempt to do just that! But unconvincing, at best. He had started his presentation promising to keep it simple and short. He sensibly avoided the word 'sweet'. There was a clever try at passing the buck. Along with the admission that the economies of China and Indonesia have outperformed India came the standard excuses for our slow growth.

Is this a populist, please-all budget?
It is a politically astute Budget but can't be called a 'populist' Budget. He had a tough job this time, given the mood of the nation. Frankly, given what the UPA government is up against, nobody was expecting a 'feel-good' Budget, least of all the aam aadmi.

Will it help the economy, create jobs, restart stalled projects?
Well, if that does not happen -" and it needs much more than Chidambaram's Budget to achieve this miracle -" the levels and intensity of public protests will go up, leading to a situation that might take the political classes by surprise. Unless the government displays genuine willingness to tackle corruption, nothing is likely to change. The Budget, after all, is not a magic wand for the FM to wave. And, Chidambaram is not India's financial Houdini, either.


Will it help UPA win votes in the general elections?
Let's be realistic here and get to the bottom of the mess -" it's poor governance that has thrown us into this pit. We need to address that before we can look forward to better times.

Will it help UPA win votes in the general elections?
You are joking, right????

Shobhaa De,
Writer and Columnist