It is growth that is enabling social development

This is a Budget that will cheer most constituents and yet it is a responsible Budget. It satisfies the conservative fiscal deficit watcher and the social development cheerleader at the same time. The focus is on growth, on individual enterprise, rural and agricultural reform, financial reform and social development, at the same time.

It is interesting that the first 10 minutes of the Budget speech talked about growth. A decade ago, a Budget speech would have had anything but growth as its centrepiece. This in itself is a big shift in our nation’s thinking. The next 40 minutes outlined all social development schemes, the right to work, the right to education, food security Bill, Bharat Nirman, financial inclusion, skill development and so on. The point that comes through is that it is growth that is enabling social development.